De Stijl

After World War 1 the world moved into the new industrial age. In the early 1920's a new movement was formed called De Stijl. De Stijl is Dutch for ''The style''. This Dutch group of architects and artists had one vision in common, they had a philosophy based on functionalism. Their ideas and designs were based on removing all surface decoration and using only touches of primary colours and black and white. They tended to use Geometric forms mainly straight lines, squares and rectangles.

Composition in Red and Blue by Piet Modrian

contemporary practice. 2010. Composition in red and blue- Piet Mondrian. [ONLINE] Available at: http://contemporarypractice.wordpress.com/. [Accessed 26 January 14].

One of the leaders of the group was Theo Van Doesburg. Two others important members were Piet Modrian and Gerrit Rietveld. In fact it was Gerrit Rietveld's Schroder House which was to remain the prime example of the De Stijl movement. Many of their initial ideas came from Dada, with some influence from Japanese sources.

Schroder House by Gerrit Rietveld

Wikipedia. 2013. Rietveld Schröder House. [ONLINE] Available at: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Rietveld_Schr%C3%B6der. [Accessed 26 January 14].

De Stijl influenced a variety of artists and designers, it was practiced in fine and applied art, music, poetry, typography, Industrial design and even in architecture and urban planning. The De Stijl movement was influenced by the devastation of World War 1, with the members wishing to express some sense of order and harmony in the new society that was emerging after the war. De Stijl was the first ever publication devoted entirely to abstract art.

The De Stijl movement faded away after the death of its leader, however it remained a fundamental contribution to modern and contemporary Art & Design. The De Stijl Movement gave rise to the  International Style that was later to follow.

Charlotte Jirousek. 1995. De Stijl. [ONLINE] Available at: http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/decart/destijl/destijl.htm. [Accessed 26 January 14].

The Art Story.org. 2014. De Stijl. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-de-stijl.htm. [Accessed 26 January 14].