Composition No. XVI
In Mondrian’s Cubist phase, from 1911 on, the motif of the tree has a prominent position.
Composition No. XVI also belongs to the group of paintings addressing this theme, and was probably created on the basis of tree drawings made by the artist at the end of December 1911, which he brought with him when he moved from the Netherlands to Paris. The composition shows typical features of Cubism, with the fragmenting of the contours and the dissolution of traditional perspective. However, the oval shape of the motif endows the painting with a particular sense of closure. With the horizontal emphasis through thicker black lines in the area of the branches, Mondrian established a focal point just below the center of the canvas, from which the picture takes its particular presence and radiance.
Despite the geometric structure of Composition No. XVI, the generally fine lines and sketch-like application of color make the picture light and transparent. The latter effect is amplified by the fact that large areas of the primed canvas remain visible. For this work, moreover, Mondrian chose light pastel tones that are unusual in his Cubist pictures. The choice of colors and the quick brushwork could suggest that he was engaging here with the art of Cézanne, whose paintings he had seen on various occasions in 1911.
- EXHIBITIONS
- COLLECTION
- CONSERVATION
Images of the painting
Images of the painting captured with various technical imaging techniques provide various information: visible light, raking light, transmitted light, UV fluorescent light, IR reflected light, IR transmitted light, X-ray.
An “authentic” work of art, in the terminology of conservation, is one that has aged naturally and remains untouched by restorers. The condition of Composition No. XVI is a remarkable stroke of luck. The picture, painted over a century ago, is astonishingly pristine. This is apparent, above all, in the many distinct traces of the artist’s hand, but also because the work was never treated or modified in the past.
Composition No. XVI has been dated to the summer of 1912. The main stages of its life, with its exhibition history and several changes of ownership, are documented in the museum archive. However, archives rarely tell the full story. Information is generally lacking about circumstances that may have led to changes in the picture’s state of preservation: for example, whether it was treated with due care, protected against damage from sunlight, or properly handled and crated for shipping. Since the materials of a painting—mainly the stretcher, the ground and paint layer—are often fragile and subject to changes over time, information about these aspects is especially relevant in assessing the work’s conservation status.
This is where our research begins. Through intensive examination and scientific analyses of the painting, we collate observations and findings, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, to draw conclusions about authenticity.
Our own research benefited greatly from recent insights regarding Composition No. XVI in connection with an exhibition, Mondrian and Cubism, Paris 1912–1914, that took place in 2014 at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (February 25—May 11, 2014). This project included a historical reconstruction and documentation of an exhibition organized in 1914 by the Walrecht gallery in The Hague, featuring sixteen pictures, among them Composition No. XVI.
FREE Video and PDF: 10 Abstract Painting Compositions
If you’ve ever wondered how to create an abstract painting composition, this video and pdf are for you!
Vlog
Do you struggle coming up with abstract compositions to paint? My workshop students ask me all the time how do I determine what to paint?
For me, it’s easy: I just get up to the canvas and paint with no need for pre-planning or value studies or reference material. But for many painters, particularly those just beginning to experiment with abstract painting, the question of developing a composition often comes up. One of the things I tell them to do is to get one of their other paintings – whether abstract or not – and grab an old piece of matbaord. Cut out a 6×6 inch square, or rectangle of whatever dimension you like and use it to isolate small, abstract looking compositions within those paintings for ideas.
You can see from the picture above what I do. This is a mat with a 6×6 inch square cut in the middle. I move this square across the face of the painting until I find some interesting shapes and or colors. I then use some artists tape and tape if in place while I take a photograph – as shown in the pictures below. Voila, you just created compositions for many more paintings! See how easy that is! Let’s say you want to paint the composition with different colors than the photo you took. I use my iPhone to take the photos so I just edit the picture to one that is in black and white, then you have a great value study that can be painted with any color combination!
Try this the next time you are searching for an abstract composition. You will be amazed how many new compositions you can find in one of your existing paintings.
