Evening Mill
- Original dimensions
- 86 x 103 cm
- Museum
- Art Museum of The Hague
- Year
- 1917
Scene depicted
The painting “Moulin le soir” depicts a tranquil landscape where the light of the setting sun ignites the sky with its warm hues. A mill stands proudly, backed by the shadows that stretch slowly, creating a striking contrast between the radiant sky and the dark silhouettes that emerge. This composition invites a gentle reflection on nature and the passage of time.
Historical context
Year: 1917 |BRK| Museum: Art Museum of The Hague |BRK| Dimensions: 86 x 103 cm
Place in the artist's career
This canvas is situated at the very heart of Mondrian's career, marking a major artistic turning point. After his early works influenced by cubism , Moulin le soir represents a stage where he begins to move away from figurative representation, leaning towards the purity of forms. In contrast, Composition in Red, Yellow, and Blue and Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow illustrate his evolution towards pure abstraction.
Anecdote
“Simplicity is the key to harmony,” said Mondrian when he spoke of his masterpiece. It was on an autumn morning, cradled by the distant song of the mills and the softness of the wind, that he allowed himself to be inspired. The poetic soul of this scene is inscribed in every brushstroke, every color of the canvas .