Trafalgar Square 1943

"Trafalgar Square" was painted by Piet Mondrian using oil on canvas, composed of geometric forms of vertical and horizontal lines, with blocks of primary colors. Mondrian’s pared-down aesthetic looks simple, but this belies the labor and thought involved. The work is defined by the artist’s interest in structure and order, but it is not industrial. Look closely, and you will see it’s made entirely by hand. The lines vary slightly in thickness, the colored rectangles subtly shifting in hue. The materiality of paint is central to the work. Every gesture of the artist is visible, his hand is present in the work. Mondrian was aligning himself with a utopian vision, the idea that simplifying the means of production would lead to a better world. This art represents a step towards a universal and rational beauty, reflective of the social transformations and artistic experimentation of the early 20th century. Through material and process, Mondrian elevates his art.