The Unknown Piet Mondrian

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

Mill in Sunlight 1905 Piet Mondrian

In September, 2019, Ann and I were in Paris following a successful painting workshop that we had organized and taught in St. Rémy. Taking some well-earned time off to relax in the City of Light, we decided to visit the wonderful collection of Monet’s paintings which the artist had left to his son, Michel. These were his favorite works which he did not sell, and which Michel subsequently left to the Musée Marmottan Monet. The museum is located in the leafy suburb of Passy and holds the world’s largest collection of Monet’s work anywhere.

Upon arriving at the museum, we were pleasantly surprised to find another exhibition there on a different floor. It contained 33 rare early works from 1891 to 1921, by Piet Mondrian, titled “Mondrian Figuratif”. Beautiful, atmospheric landscapes greeted us at the entrance to the exhibition and told us immediately that we were in for a pleasant surprise. Like many students of art hi…