Mondrian

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. An artist known for his abstract geometric works that utilize bold colors and simple forms, often characterized by a grid-based composition
2. A proponent of the De Stijl art movement, who emphasized the reduction of art to its essentials across painting, design, and architecture
3. A figure whose innovative use of primary colors and rectangular shapes has influenced modern art and design significantly

Etymology: Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter (1872-1944) whose name is now used as a common adjective for a style of geometric abstraction built from black grid lines, rectangles and primary colours. The word is simply his surname, and it entered the language through the style he developed rather than through any coinage of his own. He is known as a founder of De Stijl, the Dutch movement he helped establish in 1917, and his mature work, such as the "Composition" series, reduced painting to these few elements. The surname itself is Dutch, and Mondrian was born Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan. He later changed the spelling of his name, dropping the final "a" to make it easier for foreign audiences to pronounce, which is why the familiar form differs from his birth name.

Synonyms: de stijl, neoplasticism