art movements

De Stejl (from 1917 to 1931)

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An art movement advocating pure abstraction and simplicity-- form reduced to the rectangle and other geometric shapes, and colour to the primary colours, along with black and white. Piet Mondrian (Netherlandish, 1872-1944) was the group's leading figure.

He published a manifesto titled Neo-Plasticism in 1920. Another member, painter Theo van Doesburg (Netherlandish, 1883-1931) had started a journal named De Stijl in 1917, which continued publication until 1928, spreading the theories of the group, which also included the painter George Vantongerloo (Belgian,1886-1965), along with the architects J.J.P. Oud (1890-1963) and Gerrit Rietveld (Netherlandish, 1888-1965).

Their work exerted tremendous influence on the Bauhaus and the International Style.

Representative artists for this period include Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesberg and George Vantongerloo.

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