Analysis of Joan Miró and Piet Mondrian’s Paintings
Outside the Netherlands
Joan Miró (1893-1983)
1928, Surrealism
Technique: Oil on canvas, 92 cm x 73 cm
Current Location: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York
Formal Analysis:
Miró modifies the original composition (Dutch Interior I by Hendrick Martensz Sorgh) to create a unique visual language. Bright, pure, and flat colors contribute to a distorted, amoeba-like aesthetic. Miró deconstructs figures into a collection of features, resulting in a distinct representation of the human form. The cat serves as a central figure, creating a centrifugal composition and emphasizing the animation of the scene. Three prominent color bands structure the space.
This painting showcases the establishment of Miró’s signature style, including interconnected lines, bold black lines intersecting color patches, and the integration of natural and rural elements (animals, sun). Elements from the original composition are reinterpreted: the lute (enlarged), the musician, the dog, the cat under the table, and the window with the landscape. The musician is depicted as an organic form with a sun-like face, while the woman is transformed into a silhouette above the table.
Miró analyzes the dynamics of lines and rhythm, placing the lute at the center of a swirling dance to create a sense of movement. In contrast to the order of the original, Miró’s interpretation exudes dynamism. The final result is a neutralization of the domestic space, populated by figures from the rural world.
According to Miró, animal forms represented human features, the earth symbolized motherhood, and mountains and trees possessed a secret, symbolic language.
Interpretation:
Miró aimed for a unique form of realism, where figures, though abstract, referred to specific people or animals. This realism involves eliminating elements, as seen in Outside the Netherlands and other works. Miró explained his process of removing elements as a revolt against Cubism, seeking to simplify and distill his artistic expression.
Function:
This painting marked a significant point in Miró’s career, solidifying his artistic vision and gaining critical acclaim. Joan Miró and André Masson became prominent figures in Surrealist automatism.
Tableau II
Piet Mondrian (1872-1944)
1921-1925, Neoplasticism
Technique: Oil on canvas
Current Location: Max Bill Collection, Zurich
Description:
Squares and rectangles of various sizes are filled with bright primary colors, forming a closed network that aligns with the canvas surface.
Plastic Elements:
- Primary colors (red, yellow, blue)
- Horizontal and vertical grid lines
- Black lines isolate and emphasize colors
- Omission of curved and diagonal lines, emphasizing stasis
- Balance and order in shape and color
- Asymmetrical composition of squares and rectangles
- White symbolizes light
- Two-dimensionality, avoiding the illusion of depth
- Vertical space represents the home, static harmony
- Horizontal space represents women, time, dynamics, melody
Interpretation:
Abstract painting moves away from representational subjects, focusing on lines and geometric shapes. Mondrian’s work, influenced by theosophy, seeks to express the absolute. The grid of vertical and horizontal lines carries symbolic meaning:
- Vertical lines: Masculinity, vitality, spirituality, heaven, life
- Horizontal lines: Femininity, rest, materiality, earth, death
The artist’s role in Neoplasticism is purely plastic, aiming to eliminate non-essential elements and achieve a universal visual language.
Style:
Neoplasticism advocates for a rational and universal art. It employs straight lines to create harmonic divisions, resulting in balanced and static compositions. The style is characterized by orthogonal grids, primary and neutral colors, and a theosophical foundation. It is a Geometric Abstraction movement that flourished between 1917 and 1924, disseminated through the De Stijl magazine. The use of straight lines, primary colors, and flat, asymmetrical compositions are central to the style. In 1925, Van Doesburg’s introduction of diagonal elements marked a shift in the movement.