De Stijl definition

1917- 1931

De Stijl is an art movement that was devoted to simple forms and complete abstraction.  Geometric shapes such as the square, along with primary colors and black and white were the main focuses of the movement’s creative expression.  Piet Mondrian, an artist from the Netherlands, was the key catalyst that started the movement.  Neo-Plasticism was a manifesto written by Mondrian in 1920 that fueled the movement.  Another artist from the Netherlands named Theo van Doesberg worked to expand the influence of the movement’s ideas through his journal De Stijl begun in 1917.  Other key artists in the movement include J.J.P. Oud, George Vantongerloo, and Gerrit Rietveld.