De Stijl

Some artists like very simple art.

A group called De Stijl started this style. They used only straight lines. They used red, yellow, and blue. They also used black, white, and grey.

They made more than just paintings. They made houses and chairs too.

One famous chair is red and blue.

This art style changed how people design things today.

De Stijl is a special art style from the Netherlands. It began in 1917. A group of artists and architects started it. They wanted to find a deep truth in art.

They used very simple shapes. Most of their work used only straight lines. These lines were either vertical or horizontal. They also used a small set of colors. They used red, yellow, and blue. They also used black, white, and grey. This way of making art is called Neoplasticism.

Artists did not just make paintings. They also made furniture and buildings. One famous piece is the Red and Blue Chair.

A builder named Gerrit Rietveld made a special house. It is called the Rietveld Schröder House. It is the only building made entirely with De Stijl rules. Later, the group changed. They began to use diagonal lines to add more energy. This new idea was called Elementarism. Even after the group ended, their ideas stayed. They helped change how people design clothes and homes today.

De Stijl is a famous art movement from the Netherlands. It means "The Style" in Dutch. A group of artists and architects started it in 1917. They wanted to find a deep, spiritual truth in art. They looked past how things look in nature. Instead, they wanted to show a hidden core of reality. This new way of seeing was called Neoplasticism.

Making art in this style follows very strict rules. Artists used only straight lines that were horizontal or vertical. They only used primary colors like red, yellow, and blue. They also used non-colors like black, white, and grey. They avoided symmetry to find balance through opposition. This created a sense of tension in the work.

Theo van Doesburg helped start the movement. He was a writer, poet, and critic. He also started a journal to share their ideas. He met many artists, including the painter Piet Mondrian. Mondrian lived in the artist community of Laren. Other founders included Vilmos Huszár and Bart van der Leck. They worked together even though they lived in different places.

De Stijl grew quite large over time. At its peak, the group had 100 members. Their journal had a circulation of 300 people. In 1924, the group changed its ideas. Van Doesburg proposed a new theory called Elementarism. This allowed for diagonal lines to add more energy. Because of this change, Piet Mondrian left the group.

These ideas changed more than just paintings. They influenced how people design clothes and homes. Gerrit Rietveld designed the Red and Blue Chair. He also built the Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht. It is the only building made entirely by De Stijl rules.

The movement also touched music through composer Jakob van Domselaer. Even today, you can see these styles in modern buildings and design.

De Stijl is a Dutch art movement founded in 1917. The name means "The Style" in Dutch. It was a collective project involving many artists and architects. These creators shared a goal to find a deep, spiritual reality. They wanted to reach an immutable core of existence. This core was not a visible fact of nature. Instead, it was an underlying spiritual vision.

The group used a specific theory called Neoplasticism. In Dutch, this was known as Nieuwe beelding, or "new vision." Piet Mondrian explained these ideas in his essay, "Neo-Plasticism in Pictorial Art." He argued that art should ignore the particulars of natural appearance. Instead, it should use the abstraction of form and color. This meant using only straight lines and primary colors. The goal was to reach a state of ultimate simplicity.

To follow these rules, artists used a very limited vocabulary. They only used primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. They also used three primary values: black, white, and grey. For shapes, they only used squares and rectangles. Lines had to be strictly horizontal or vertical. They avoided symmetry in their compositions. Instead, they sought aesthetic balance through the use of opposition. This created a sense of tension in the work.

In three-dimensional works, the rules changed slightly. Vertical and horizontal lines were often placed in layers or planes. These planes did not intersect with one another. This allowed each element to exist independently. It kept each part unobstructed by the others. This technique is visible in the Red and Blue Chair. It is also seen in the Rietveld Schröder House.

The movement grew from a group of isolated artists. During World War I, the Netherlands remained neutral. This meant Dutch artists could not easily travel to Paris. Theo van Doesburg helped organize the group. He was a writer, poet, and critic with many connections. He founded a journal to spread De Stijl theories. He met Piet Mondrian at an exhibition in Amsterdam. Other founders included Vilmos Huszár and Bart van der Leck. The group included architects like J.J.P. Oud and Gerrit Rietveld.

De Stijl changed significantly around the year 1924. Van Doesburg introduced a new theory called Elementarism. This theory allowed for the use of dynamic diagonal lines. He believed these lines could infuse more energy into art. He also rejected the need for harmonious relationships. This change caused a major split in the group. Piet Mondrian left De Stijl because of this disagreement. At its highest point, the movement had 100 members. The journal had a circulation of 300 people.

The movement's influence reached far beyond simple painting. It impacted the Bauhaus style and international architecture. It even influenced clothing and interior design. The Rietveld Schröder House is a famous example. It is the only building built completely according to De Stijl principles.

The movement also touched music. Composer Jakob van Domselaer was influenced by Mondrian's paintings. He composed "Proeven van Stijlkunst" between 1913 and 1916. This music aimed to balance horizontal and vertical elements.

Today, the legacy of De Stijl is still visible worldwide. Many museums hold important collections of their work. The Kunstmuseum in The Hague has a large Mondrian collection. The Museum of Utrecht holds the largest Rietveld collection. You can see De Stijl influence in modern metro stations. For example, the Moscow Metro stations opened in 2016 were inspired by it. The movement remains a vital part of design history.