De Stijl

This article is about the artistic movement. For the album (18881964), Robert van 't Ho (18871979), and J. J.
by The White Stripes, see De Stijl (album).
P. Oud (18901963). The artistic philosophy that formed
De Stijl (/d stal/; Dutch pronunciation: [d stil]), a basis for the groups work is known as neoplasticism
the new plastic art (or Nieuwe Beelding in Dutch).

1 Principles and inuences

Mondrian sets forth the delimitations of neoplasticism in
his essay Neo-Plasticism in Pictorial Art. He writes,
this new plastic idea will ignore the particulars of appearance, that is to say, natural form and colour. On the
contrary, it should nd its expression in the abstraction of
form and colour, that is to say, in the straight line and the
clearly dened primary colour. With these constraints,
his art allows only primary colours and non-colours, only
squares and rectangles, only straight and horizontal or
vertical lines.[4] The De Stijl movement posited the fundamental principle of the geometry of the straight line,
the square, and the rectangle, combined with a strong
asymmetricality; the predominant use of pure primary
colors with black and white; and the relationship between
positive and negative elements in an arrangement of nonobjective forms and lines.[5]
The name De Stijl is supposedly derived from Gottfried
Semper's Der Stil in den technischen und tektonischen
Knsten oder Praktische sthetik (18613), which Curl[3]
suggests was mistakenly believed to advocate materialism
and functionalism. In general, De Stijl proposed ultimate
simplicity and abstraction, both in architecture and painting, by using only straight horizontal and vertical lines and
rectangular forms. Furthermore, their formal vocabulary
was limited to the primary colours, red, yellow, and blue,
and the three primary values, black, white, and grey. The
works avoided symmetry and attained aesthetic balance
by the use of opposition. This element of the movement
embodies the second meaning of stijl: a post, jamb or
support"; this is best exemplied by the construction of
crossing joints, most commonly seen in carpentry.

Red and Blue Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1917.

Dutch for The Style, also known as neoplasticism, was

a Dutch artistic movement founded in 1917 in Amsterdam. The De Stijl consisted of artists and architects [1]
In a narrower sense, the term De Stijl is used to refer
to a body of work from 1917 to 1931 founded in the
Netherlands.[2][3] Proponents of De Stijl advocated pure
abstraction and universality by a reduction to the essentials of form and colour; they simplied visual compositions to vertical and horizontal, using only black, white In many of the groups three-dimensional works, vertical
and primary colors.
and horizontal lines are positioned in layers or planes that
De Stijl is also the name of a journal that was published do not intersect, thereby allowing each element to exist
by the Dutch painter, designer, writer, and critic Theo independently and unobstructed by other elements. This
van Doesburg (18831931) that served to propagate the feature can be found in the Rietveld Schrder House and
groups theories. Next to van Doesburg, the groups prin- the Red and Blue Chair.
cipal members were the painters Piet Mondrian (1872 De Stijl was inuenced by Cubist painting as well as by the
1944), Vilmos Huszr (18841960), and Bart van der mysticism and the ideas about ideal geometric forms
Leck (18761958), and the architects Gerrit Rietveld (such as the perfect straight line) in the neoplatonic
1

2 HISTORY

philosophy of mathematician M. H. J. Schoenmaekers. The De Stijl movement was also inuenced by

Neopositivism.[6] The works of De Stijl would inuence
the Bauhaus style and the international style of architecture as well as clothing and interior design. However, it
did not follow the general guidelines of an "-ism (e.g.,
Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism), nor did it adhere to the
principles of art schools like the Bauhaus; it was a collective project, a joint enterprise.
In music, De Stijl was an inuence only on the work of
composer Jakob van Domselaer, a close friend of Mondrian. Between 1913 and 1916, he composed his Proeven
van Stijlkunst (Experiments in Artistic Style), inspired
mainly by Mondrians paintings. This minimalisticand,
at the time, revolutionarymusic dened horizontal Page from De Stijl magazine.
and vertical musical elements and aimed at balancing
those two principles. Van Domselaer was relatively unknown in his lifetime, and did not play a signicant role from the international art worldand in particular, from
Paris, which was its centre then.
within the De Stijl group.

History

During that period, painter Theo van Doesburg started

looking for other artists to set up a journal and start an
art movement. Van Doesburg was also a writer, poet,
and critic, who had been more successful writing about
art than working as an independent artist. Quite adept at
making new contacts due to his amboyant personality
and outgoing nature, he had many useful connections in
the art world.

2.2 Founding of De Stijl

Theo van Doesburg, neoplasticism: Composition VII (the three

graces) 1917.
Piet Mondrian, Gray Tree, 1912

2.1

Early history

From the urry of new art movements that followed the

Impressionist revolutionary new perception of painting,
Cubism arose in the early 20th century as an important
and inuential new direction. In the Netherlands, too,
there was interest in this new art.
However, because the Netherlands remained neutral in
World War I, Dutch artists were not able to leave the
country after 1914 and were thus eectively isolated

Around 1915, Van Doesburg started meeting the artists

who would eventually become the founders of the journal.
He rst met Piet Mondrian at an exhibition in Stedelijk
Museum Amsterdam. Mondrian, who had moved to
Paris in 1912 (and there, changed his name from Mondriaan), had been visiting the Netherlands when war
broke out. He could not return to Paris, and was staying
in the artists community of Laren, where he met Bart van
der Leck and regularly saw M. H. J. Schoenmaekers. In
1915, Schoenmaekers published Het nieuwe wereldbeeld
(The New Image of the World), followed in 1916 by

2.5

Inuence on architecture

Beginselen der beeldende wiskunde (Principles of Plastic Mathematics). These two publications would greatly
inuence Mondrian and other members of De Stijl.
Van Doesburg also knew J. J. P. Oud and the Hungarian
artist Vilmos Huszr. In 1917 the cooperation of these
artists, together with the poet Anthony Kok, resulted in
the founding of De Stijl. The young architect Gerrit Rietveld joined the group in 1918.
During those rst few years, the group was still relatively
homogeneous, although Van der Leck left in 1918 due
to artistic dierences of opinion. Manifestos were being
published, signed by all members. The social and economic circumstances of the time formed an important
source of inspiration for their theories, and their ideas The Rietveld Schrder Housethe only building realised comabout architecture were heavily inuenced by Berlage and pletely according to the principles of De Stijl
Frank Lloyd Wright.
The name Nieuwe Beelding was a term rst coined in 1917 other hand, went back to gurative compositions after his
by Mondrian, who wrote a series of twelve articles called departure from the group.
De Nieuwe Beelding in de schilderkunst (Neo-Plasticism
in Painting) that were published in the journal De Stijl.
In 1920 he published a book titled Le Neo-Plasticisme.
2.5 Inuence on architecture

2.3

After 1920

Around 1921, the groups character started to change.

From the time of van Doesburgs association with
Bauhaus, other inuences started playing a role.
These inuences were mainly Malevich and Russian
Constructivism, to which not all members agreed. In
1924 Mondrian broke with the group after van Doesburg
proposed the theory of elementarism, suggesting that a
diagonal line is more vital than horizontal and vertical
ones. In addition, the De Stijl group acquired many new
members. Dadaist inuences, such as I. K. Bonset's
poetry and Aldo Camini's antiphilosophy generated
controversy as well. Only after Van Doesburgs death
was it revealed that Bonset and Camini were two of his Aubette dance hall, 1929
pseudonyms.
The De Stijl inuence on architecture remained considerable long after its inception; Mies van der Rohe was
2.4 After van Doesburgs death
among the most important proponents of its ideas. Between 1923 and 1924, Rietveld designed the Rietveld
Theo van Doesburg died in Davos, Switzerland, in 1931. Schrder House, the only building to have been created
His wife, Nelly, administered his estate.
completely according to De Stijl principles. Examples
Because of van Doesburgs pivotal role within De Stijl, of Stijl-inuenced works by J.J.P. Oud can be found in
the group did not survive. Individual members remained Rotterdam (Caf De Unie) and Hoek van Holland. Other
in contact, but De Stijl could not exist without a strong examples include the Eames House by Charles and Ray
central character. Thus, it may be wrong to think of De Eames, and the interior decoration for the Aubette dance
Stijl as a close-knit group of artists. The members knew hall in Strasbourg, designed by Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Jean
each other, but most communication took place by letter. Arp and van Doesburg.
For example, Mondrian and Rietveld never met in person.
Many, though not all, artists did stay true to the movements basic ideas, even after 1931. Rietveld, for instance, continued designing furniture according to De
Stijl principles, while Mondrian continued working in the
style he had initiated around 1920. Van der Leck, on the

2.6 Present day

Works by De Stijl members are scattered all over the
world, but De Stijl-themed exhibitions are organised regularly. Museums with large De Stijl collections include

the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague (which owns the

worlds most extensive, although not exclusively De Stijlrelated, Mondrian collection) and Amsterdam's Stedelijk
Museum, where many works by Rietveld and Van Doesburg are on display. The Centraal Museum of Utrecht
has the largest Rietveld collection worldwide; it also owns
the Rietveld Schrder House, Rietvelds adjacent show
house, and the Rietveld Schrder Archives.

(19071981),

painter

and

Burgoyne Diller (19061965), painter[8]

Theo van Doesburg (18831931), painter, designer,
and writer; co-founder of De Stijl movement; published De Stijl, 19171931[2]

Jean Gorin (18991981), painter, sculptor[9]

Frederick John Kiesler (1890-1965), architect, theater designer, artist, sculptor[12]

Antony Kok (18821969), poet[13]

Piet Mondrian (18721944), painter, co-founder of

De Stijl[2]
Marlow Moss (18891958), painter

[9]

J. J. P. Oud (18901963), architect

(18881964),

(18871948),

Art Concret

[2] De Stijl. Tate Glossary. The Tate. Retrieved 2006-0731.

[6] Lindu, David G. Wilkins, Bernard Schultz, Katheryn M.

(1994). Art past, art present (2nd ed.). Englewood Clis,
N.J.: Prentice Hall. p. 523. ISBN 0-13-062084-X.

[8] Burgoyne Diller. Sullivan Goss. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

[9] de Stijl. the-artists.org. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

[11] Vilmos huszar De Stijl. MoMA. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

painter,[14]

[12] AD Classics: Endless House / Friedrick Kiesler. ArchDaily. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

Friedrich Vordemberge-Gildewart, painter[2]

Concrete art

[1] Lindu, David G. Wilkins, Bernard Schultz, Katheryn M.

(1994). Art past, art present (2nd ed.). Englewood Clis,
N.J.: Prentice Hall. p. 523. ISBN 0-13-062084-X.

and

architect

Georges Vantongerloo (18861965), sculptor[2]

Jan Wils (18911972), architect[16]

References

[10] Robert Van 'T Ho in The Krller-Mller Museum.

Het Nieuwe Instituut. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

[2]

Abstract art

Rietveld Schrder House

[7] Ilya Bolotowsky. Sullivan Goss. Retrieved 24 September 2015.

Bart van der Leck (18761958), painter[2]

See also

Mathematics and art

[5] The Guggenheim Collection Online: De Stijl

Vilmos Huszr (18841960), painter[11]

Fourth dimension in art

[4] Tate Glossary: Neo-Plasticism

Robert van 't Ho (18871979), architect[10]

Kurt Schwitters
sculptor[15]

Constructivism (art)

[3] Curl, James Stevens (2006). A Dictionary of Architecture

and Landscape Architecture (Paperback) (Second ed.).
Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860678-8.

Cornelis van Eesteren (18971981), architect[9]

Gerrit Rietveld
designer[2]

Abstraction-Cration

5 References and sources

Neoplasticists
Ilya Bolotowsky
sculptor[7]

REFERENCES AND SOURCES

[13] White, Michael (20 September 2003). De Stijl and Dutch

Modernism. Manchester University Press. p. 134. ISBN
978-0-7190-6162-2.
[14] Haue, Thomas (1998). Design (Reprinted ed.). London:
Laurence King. p. 71. ISBN 9781856691345. OCLC
40406039.
[15] Spaces for the Permanent Collection, Sprengel Museum
Hannover
[16] White, Michael (20 September 2003). De Stijl and Dutch
Modernism. Manchester University Press. p. 36. ISBN
978-0-7190-6162-2.

Sources

5
De Stijl Architecture. Design Arts. Art and Culture. Retrieved 2006-07-31.
van Doesburg, Theo (1924). Towards a plastic architecture. Translation of original published in De
Stijl, XII, 6/7. Architecture & CAAD. Retrieved
2006-07-31.

Further reading
Blotkamp, Carel (ed.) (1982). De beginjaren van
De Stijl 19171922. Utrecht: Reex.
Blotkamp, Carel (ed.) (1996). De vervolgjaren van
De Stijl 19221932. Amsterdam: Veen.
Ja, H. L. C. (1956). De Stijl, 19171931, The
Dutch Contribution to Modern Art (1st ed.). Amsterdam: J.M. Meulenho.
Janssen, Hans; White, Michael (2011). The Story
of De Stijl. Lund Humphries. ISBN 978-1-84822094-2.
Overy, Paul (1969). De Stijl (1st ed.). London: Studio Vista.
White, Michael (2003). De Stijl and Dutch Modernism. Manchester [etc]: Manchester University
Press.

External links
De Stijl
Jakob van Domselaer's Proeven van Stijlkunst, rare
recording.
Essay about Mondrian and mysticism Scans of the
complete rst volume of the journal.

8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

De Stijl Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Stijl?oldid=730393839 Contributors: William Avery, Jahsonic, Wapcaplet, Sannse, Ellywa, Jebba, Error, RadRafe, Kaihsu, Jebdogdaddy, Heymarcel, Dysprosia, Wik, KRS, Hyacinth, Spinster, Eugene van der Pijll, Robbot,
MathMartin, Puckly, Rasmus Faber, Pontauxchats, Solipsist, Hananeko, Lesgles, Hans castorp81~enwiki, Latitude0116, Jareha, Sonett72,
Picapica, Justin Foote, Discospinster, JoeSmack, CanisRufus, Mbroooks, Kwamikagami, RoyBoy, Taarten, Giraedata, Red Scharlach,
Alansohn, Mduvekot, Ronline, Brookie, Dionidium, Mandarax, Sparkit, TwoRivers, Sartas Regem, Lockley, Krash, MapsMan, Husky,
FlaBot, RobertG, RexNL, Planetneutral, Its-is-not-a-genitive, Chobot, Antiuser, Flillibridge, Bgwhite, Kummi, YurikBot, Jaxl, Piet Vollaard, Shinmawa, 1717, Bantosh, Ms2ger, X10, Radioux, Kf4bdy, SmackBot, JimmyGuano, InverseHypercube, Unyoyega, Hmains,
Seylyn, Frdrick Lacasse, Jprg1966, Delfeye, Greatgavini, Can't sleep, clown will eat me, , Dogears, SashatoBot, Neddyseagoon, Majorkev, Qyd, Iridescent, Shoeofdeath, Picklegnome, Tawkerbot2, MarylandArtLover, Mcginnly, Jane023, Manfroze, Biblbroks,
Kozuch, Victoriaedwards, Epbr123, Barticus88, Jack Bethune, Mafmafmaf, AntiVandalBot, WinBot, Luna Santin, Stormyhawn, Modernist, Storkk, JAnDbot, Deective, 100110100, Kerotan, Freshacconci, Jvhertum, Hekerui, JaGa, Rettetast, Bus stop, R'n'B, CommonsDelinker, S.dedalus, Revoranii, Inquam, Bumper12, HiLo48, Chiswick Chap, Geekman3000, Bricology, Adam Zivner, Vinsfan368,
Spellcast, VolkovBot, Je G., QuackGuru, Philip Trueman, A4bot, Aymatth2, Seraphim, Inventis, Sapphic, Wavehunter, PGWG, FlyingLeopard2014, Badvibes101, SieBot, Coee, Chimin 07, Platinumbuddha, Bentogoa, OKBot, Ronaldomundo, Coldcreation, Nimbusania,
ImageRemovalBot, ClueBot, The Thing That Should Not Be, TheOldJacobite, Niceguyedc, Excirial, 7&6=thirteen, Cowboy456, WikHead, Noctibus, Pataki Mrta, Addbot, Lithoderm, Mjackso1, Fieldday-sunday, CanadianLinuxUser, Cst17, Lightbot, Szalax, Zorrobot,
Luckas-bot, Yobot, Sageo, Galoubet, Materialscientist, Blaaah24, Fralor, Citation bot, Petropoxy (Lithoderm Proxy), J04n, RibotBOT,
Bangabandhu, Arch2all, Marzedu, Vinceouca, Haeinous, I dream of horses, Jasonhdavis, Jamespjgrennan, Elekhh, TobeBot, EHAshgate,
Diannaa, Bahnfrend, Orphan Wiki, Look2See1, Dcirovic, K6ka, Bollyje, Arman Cagle, Philafrenzy, The Dark Peria, ClueBot NG, Delusion23, Bragz, JanSotkal, Hlk90362, Struwwelpeter, BattyBot, Egeymi, Lugia2453, Mossmanmme, Susumudrm, Monkbot, Zvoru, Prof.
Larminie, KasparBot, Dava1234, Thearkid and Anonymous: 193

8.2

Images

File:Aubette_Cin-dancing_01.jpg
Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Aubette_Cin%C3%
A9-dancing_01.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: digitalgallery.nypl.org : Home : Info : Pic Original artist: Unknown<a
href='//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4233718'
title='wikidata:Q4233718'><img
alt='wikidata:Q4233718'
src='https:
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/20px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png'
width='20'
height='11'
srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Wikidata-logo.svg/30px-Wikidata-logo.svg.png
1.5x,
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data-le-height='590' /></a>
File:Black_circle.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Black_circle.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: (Transferred from en.wikipedia - was: en:Image:Black Square.jpg) Original artist: Kazimir Malevich
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File:Destijl_anthologiebonset.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Destijl_anthologiebonset.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
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File:Piet_Mondrian,_1911,_Gray_Tree_(De_grijze_boom),_oil_on_canvas,_79.7_x_109.1_cm,_Gemeentemuseum_Den_
Haag,_Netherlands.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Piet_Mondrian%2C_1911%2C_Gray_Tree_
%28De_grijze_boom%29%2C_oil_on_canvas%2C_79.7_x_109.1_cm%2C_Gemeentemuseum_Den_Haag%2C_Netherlands.jpg
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Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
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8.3

8.3

Content license

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