Texts by Hans Janssen and Richard Shiff

Focusing on a prolific stage in Piet Mondrian’s early career, this volume provides a concise view of the artist’s figurative landscape painting. Primarily made during the artist’s time in Amsterdam at the turn of the century, Mondrian's dense, small-scale paintings depict the surrounding Dutch landscape—notably irrigation ditches, canals, and farm buildings. The compositions are characterized by complex interactions of light and dark planes, which the artist forms through thick, pigmented strokes of green and brown paint. Marking the last decade of the artist’s engagement with figurative painting, Mondrian's exploration of the interrelationships between color and space during this period forms the basis for his subsequent abstract works, whilst reflecting the artist’s lifelong interest in nature.

Centered on an exhibition curated by Karsten Schubert at David Zwirner, London, the volume includes full-color illustrations of the exhibited paintings as well as essays by Hans Janssen and Richard Shiff.