De Stijl

De Stijl which means just The Style in Dutch was founded in 1917. The central and celebrated artists well known with the movement were the painters Theo van Doesburg, who was also a critic and a writer, and Piet Mondrian, along with the architect Gerrit Reitveld. The members of De Stijl presented utmost clarity and conceptualization through which they incorporated an idealistic perspective of art, balance and its possible change. This was established through a simple form centered in common visual features to pure geometric forms such as straight lines, squares, rectangles and primary colours.

De Stijl was also the name of a journal which was published by Theo van Doesburg. The journal represented the members’ theories and innovative ideas, the most significant work of graphic design but the ideas of reduction of form and colour are major influences therefore making it the ulimate style. De Stijl artists focused not only on fine and applied arts but also had a profound influence on the development of both abstract art and modern architecture and design, even literature and music, assisting the International Style to progress.

Boy’s Bedroom (1919) by Vilmos Huszár and Pieter Jan Christophel Klaarhamer

Café de Unie (1925) by J.J.P. Oud

Interior of Aubette dance hall (1926-1928) by Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Jean Arp and Theo van Doesburg

Red and Blue Chair (1923) by Gerrit Rietveld

Red and Blue Chair (1923)

Although the chair was originally designed in 1918, its colour scheme of primary colours plus black, amalgamated the characteristic of De Stijl. Rietveld originally produced his Red and Blue Chair in a natural wood finish consisting of beachwood and plywood. He visualized a chair which manipulated rectilinear volumes, that analysed the interaction of vertical and horizontal planes and lines in distinctive methods, yet coped to circumvent intersection. Rietveld’s intentions were simplicity in construction. He constructed the chair from normal lumber. Considering his target that a considerable amount of his furniture could eventually be mass-produced rather than hand-crafted. Rietveld was convinced that there was an extensive target for the furniture designer than simply physical comfort and convenience, which is that of the well-being and comfort of the atmosphere whilst highlighting its manmade quality.

Rietveld Schroder House (1924) by Gerrit Rietveld

Rietveld Schroder House (1924)

The Rietveld Schroder House is an essential forerunner to the “Bauhaus-inspired International Style”(Wolf, 2017), as well as the unique construction designed in “complete accordance with the De Stijl aesthetic”(Wolf, 2017). “Rietveld gave a new spatial meaning to the straight lines and rectangular planes of the various architectural structural elements, slabs, posts and beams” (Sveiven, 2010) by considering the movement's emphasis on style, construction and purpose in its architecture and design. The design epitomizes an outstanding withdrawal from architectural convention and precedent. Inside there is no stable build-up of rooms as they are constructed  with movable portable partitions.

Rietveld Schroder House Interior

Yves St Laurent

Mondrian inspired dress from the YSL 1960s Archive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The famous fashion designer Yves St Laurent was extremely influenced with De Stijl and Piet Mondrian. St Laurent, then launched his own collection which was labelled the ‘Mondrian Collection’. All dresses designed in this collection have all been made in bold primary colours, vertical and horizontal lines which is very similar to the grid idea of Mondrian.

Windows 8's Interface by Microsoft

Windows 8 Interface.

De Stijl has also left an impact on present technological designs like Windows 8's interface by Microsoft. The grid utilized to divide the layout and the simplicity it has, is comparable to the grids De Stijl designs were made up of.

Other examples:

As one looks through De Stijl, one can appreciate that it had a desired outcome on every aspect of design from small products to furniture, to architecture and interior design. It is fascinating that the features of this style are still used to this present day as its main characteristics are timeless and can be reused any time.

Eames House (1949) by Charles and Ray Eames

Primary (2010) by Sammy Bikoulis

Boogie poncho by Michael Barnaart van Bergen

Composition in black sheath dress by Michael Barnaart van Bergen

PHOENIX OBERHAUS LOBBY by Fadd Studio

Rumyantsevo station on the Moscow Metro's Sokolnicheskaya Line(2016)

References

Research:

Jesse Bryant Wilder (2007). Art History For Dummies. New Jersey- John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

"De Stijl Movement Overview and Analysis". [Internet]. 2017. TheArtStory.org. Content compiled and written by Justin Wolf. Edited and published by The Art Story Contributors. Available from: http://www.theartstory.org/movement-de-stijl.htm [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Megan Sveiven. "AD Classics: Rietveld Schroder House / Gerrit Rietveld" 29 Dec 2010. ArchDaily. Available from: <http://www.archdaily.com/99698/ad-classics-rietveld-schroder-house-gerrit-rietveld/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Publication excerpt from The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA Highlights, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, revised 2004, originally published 1999, p. 86

stylesyllabus.wordpress.com. “The De Stijl Influence”.[online] Available at: <https://stylesyllabus.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/the-de-stijl-influence/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Alex Bigman. “A brief visual history of the utopian De Stijl movement”. [online]. 2013. 99designs. <https://99designs.com/blog/creative-inspiration/know-your-design-history-the-utopian-de-stijl-movement/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Images:

Publication excerpt from The Museum of Modern Art, MoMA Highlights, New York: The Museum of Modern Art, revised 2004, originally published 1999, p. 86

Megan Sveiven. "AD Classics: Rietveld Schroder House / Gerrit Rietveld" 29 Dec 2010. ArchDaily. Available from: < http://www.archdaily.com/99698/ad-classics-rietveld-schroder-house-gerrit-rietveld/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

stylesyllabus.wordpress.com. “The De Stijl Influence”.[online] Available at: <https://stylesyllabus.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/the-de-stijl-influence/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Alex Bigman. “A brief visual history of the utopian De Stijl movement”. [online]. 2013. 99designs. Available at: <https://99designs.com/blog/creative-inspiration/know-your-design-history-the-utopian-de-stijl-movement/> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Rose Etherington. "Primary by Sammy Bikoulis for Triflow". [online]. 29 October 2010. dezeen. Available at: <https://www.dezeen.com/2010/10/29/primary-by-sammy-bikoulis-for-triflow/>  [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

"mondrian to dutch design". [online]. Michael Barnaart Van Bergen. Available at: <http://www.michaelbarnaartvanbergen.com/De-Stijl> [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Julia Ritson. "Boy’s Bedroom". [online]. 12 December 2011. julia ritson. Available at: https://juliaritson.com/2011/12/12/boys-bedroom/ [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Marcelo Gardinetti. "Café De Unie, J.J.P. Oud". [online]. November 2012. Tecnne. Available at: http://tecnne.com/arquitectura/cafe-de-unie-j-j-p-oud/ [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

FADD STUDIO. "Residential | PHOENIX OBERHAUS LOBBY".[online] Available at: http://faddstudio.com/apartment_lobby.php [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Wikipedia. "Rumyantsevo (Moscow Metro)".[online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumyantsevo_(Moscow_Metro) [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Wikipedia. "Theo van Doesburg".[online] Available at:  https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theo_van_Doesburg [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]

Wikipedia. "Eames House".[online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eames_House [Accessed 9 Apr 2017]