Artwork
Windmill with Summerhouse II
Windmill with Summerhouse II is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Piet Mondrian. It dates from 1906 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The summerhouse and windmill together suggest themes of rural leisure and continuity, with the modest dwelling complementing the more monumental mill.
Windmill with Summerhouse II depicts a rural Dutch landscape featuring a windmill alongside a house, rendered in oil paint by Piet Mondrian in 1906. The pairing of a windmill and a summerhouse reflects traditional iconography of the Dutch countryside, motifs Mondrian explored repeatedly in his early period before his turn to abstraction. The windmill in particular carried strong symbolic weight as an emblem of the Netherlands, evoking national heritage and pastoral life.
By placing these vernacular structures at the center of the composition, the work represents Mondrian's engagement with the landscapes and architectural forms of his homeland during the years leading up to his stylistic transformation.
The summerhouse and windmill together suggest themes of rural leisure and continuity, with the modest dwelling complementing the more monumental mill. Such imagery allowed Mondrian to distill recognizable Dutch scenery into a study of form and balance, foreshadowing the geometric vocabulary that would later define his mature work.
Technique & Style
Windmill with Summerhouse II is an oil painting on cardboard measuring 37.1 cm in height by 56.5 cm in width.
The handling reflects a post-impressionist approach, with visible brushwork and layered, opaque applications that define foliage and architectural volumes. Stylistically, the composition balances naturalistic representation with decorative pattern, particularly in the rhythmic placement of windows and the schematic rendering of the windmill sails. The palette favors earthy greens and ochres punctuated by muted reds and blues, conveying a tranquil rural scene under a diffuse sky.
History & Provenance
Piet Mondrian created Windmill with Summerhouse II in 1906 using oil paint on cardboard. The work measures 37.1 cm in height and 56.5 cm in width. It depicts a windmill and a house, consistent with Mondrian's early naturalistic style. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Overview
Piet Mondrian's Windmill with Summerhouse II, painted in 1906, is an oil on canvas work from the early period of the Dutch artist's career. This piece exemplifies his initial engagement with representational subjects and impressionistic styles, predating his later groundbreaking contributions to abstract art. It is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Context
This early work by Piet Mondrian offers insight into the foundational stages of an artist who would become a pivotal figure in 20th-century abstraction. Created before his radical shift towards geometric non-representational art, Windmill with Summerhouse II demonstrates his initial explorations of landscape painting. It serves as a significant example of his figurative beginnings, providing a contrast to the highly structured, abstract compositions for which he is widely known.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (Dutch:; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), known after 1911 as Piet Mondrian (, US also; Dutch: ), was a Dutch painter and art theoretician, who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.
