Lot Essay
Throughout his whole career, even while he was devoted to pure abstraction, Mondriaan continued to paint flowerpieces. As a result, the dating of chrysanthemum still lifes is relatively difficult. This lot probably dates from around 1920-1922.
According to A.P. van den Briel the flowers are in a category by themselves, a closed privileged group: 'Sometimes by fits and starts, he wanted to paint them just like that. This has a much deeper meaning. A memory of something vastly beautiful he had experienced, and something sad. He did remark once or twice that it hurt him to do those flowers. They reflect much of Mondrian's inner life as an individual and as a painter.'(letter from A.P. van den Briel to J.M. Harthoorn in: J.M. Harthoorn, Mondrian's creative realism, Mijdrecht 1980, p. 15)
Herbert Henkels of the Gemeentemuseum, The Hague, has confirmed the authenticity of this work and dated it circa 1921
See colour illustration
According to A.P. van den Briel the flowers are in a category by themselves, a closed privileged group: 'Sometimes by fits and starts, he wanted to paint them just like that. This has a much deeper meaning. A memory of something vastly beautiful he had experienced, and something sad. He did remark once or twice that it hurt him to do those flowers. They reflect much of Mondrian's inner life as an individual and as a painter.'(letter from A.P. van den Briel to J.M. Harthoorn in: J.M. Harthoorn, Mondrian's creative realism, Mijdrecht 1980, p. 15)
Herbert Henkels of the Gemeentemuseum, The Hague, has confirmed the authenticity of this work and dated it circa 1921
See colour illustration