From the beginning of 1914 until his death in 1944, Mondrian wrote more than a hundred essays on the subject of art and society. He wrote in Dutch, French and English, his choice of language often depending on his place of residence. All of Mondrian's writings proclaim his conviction that art paves the way to a better society. Many of Mondrian's texts have been published, but the original versions were often translated, edited, and polished. This book aims to present the painter's words as he wrote them, going back to the original sources of all of Mondrian's manuscripts, typescripts, and personal papers, published and unpublished, finished and unfinished - some only consisting of a few sentences, some of as much as eighty pages. In addition, the book includes introductory chapters, as well as a vocabulary of characteristic Mondrian terms. Louis Veen's compilation of Mondrian's original texts is, first of all, a reference work. It answers question such as: what did Mondrian write in 1926?; does Mondrian discuss a certain text in his letters?; where to find a translation of a certain text?; how does a certain translation compare with the original text?; how does a certain text relate to Mondrian's artistic output at the time? Secondly, in presenting the original Dutch, French and English texts, this edition aims to be a reliable source for translation and interpretation. Thirdly, this edition aims to preserve Mondrian's authentic intellectual legacy for future generations. The texts in this book originally formed part of Veen's PhD thesis. The website www.mondrianwritings.nl is an addition to this publication.
