Study for a Composition

Study for a Composition by Piet Mondrian Dutch, 1872-1944, offers crucial insight into the artist’s iterative process during his final, highly productive years in New York. Created between 1940 and 1941, this preparatory work transcends a traditional definition of drawing, employing a complex and unconventional structure. Mondrian utilized a sophisticated collage technique, incorporating cut and pasted papers that were meticulously prepared with both gouache and charcoal. The support consists of pieced cream wove newsprint assembled in three distinct parts, with additional charcoal markings visible on the verso, documenting the artist’s preliminary planning.

Though rooted in the cultural traditions of the Netherlands that shaped his early career, Mondrian’s methodology had fully evolved into his unique brand of geometric abstraction. This piece reveals the dynamic relationship the artist established between color, line, and surface texture, achieved by shifting small elements of colored paper before committing to a final arrangement. The work reflects a continued search for compositional balance and rhythm, moving beyond the static grids of his earlier European period toward greater complexity. The intricate arrangement of the paper pieces anticipates the energetic dynamism seen in his most celebrated late-career canvases.

This significant preparatory piece highlights Mondrian's willingness to utilize collage and tape as core structural elements, enabling him to experiment rapidly with movement and counter-movement across the plane. As a key example of the master's intensive compositional planning, Study for a Composition is a vital holding within the Art Institute of Chicago's collection. For art historians studying the evolution of modern abstraction, high-quality reference prints of the work often become available through specialized public domain art initiatives, furthering accessibility to the genius of Mondrian.