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Inside out Victory Boogie Woogie: A Material History of Mondrian's Masterpiece
Victory Boogie Woogie, Mondrian’s unfinished masterpiece created in 1942-44, has come to be regarded as not merely the high point of his oeuvre, but also as a dazzling icon of non-figurative art in the twentieth century. Although Mondrian did not live to give the painting its title, it is known that he regarded it as a development of his earlier work, Broadway Boogie Woogie . The work was acquired by the Dutch government in 1998 and has since been on permanent loan at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. Despite its landmark status in art history, Victory Boogie Woogie has never been studied in detail. This pioneering survey tracks the minute detail of the creation and physical appearance of the painting, delving into historical sources, conservation history and microscopic analysis of the paint surface and below.
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2011
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January 22, 2022
Inside out Victory Boogie Woogie: A Material History of Mondrian's Masterpiece.
Victory Boogie Woogie, Mondrian’s unfinished masterpiece created in 1942-44, has come to be regarded as not merely the high point of his oeuvre, but also as a dazzling icon of non-figurative art in the twentieth century. Although Mondrian did not live to give the painting its title, it is known that he regarded it as a development of his earlier work, Broadway Boogie Woogie. The work was acquired by the Dutch government in 1998 and has since been on permanent loan at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague. Despite its landmark status in art history, Victory Boogie Woogie has never been studied in detail. This pioneering survey tracks the minute detail of the creation and physical appearance of the painting, delving into historical sources, conservation history and microscopic analysis of the paint surface and below.
Victory Boogie Woogie, Mondrian’s unfinished masterpiece created in 1942-44, has come to be regarded as not merely the high point of his oeuvre, but also as a dazzling icon of non-figurative art in the twentieth century. Although Mondrian did not live to give the painting its title, it is known that he regarded it as a development of his earlier work, Broadway Boogie Woogie. The work was acquired by the Dutch government in 1998 and has since been on permanent loan at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague. Despite its landmark status in art history, Victory Boogie Woogie has never been studied in detail. This pioneering survey tracks the minute detail of the creation and physical appearance of the painting, delving into historical sources, conservation history and microscopic analysis of the paint surface and below.
October 11, 2022
When I recently saw the painting for the first time, I was immediately sold. The effort the Dutch government made to have the work back in public ownership says a lot about the cultural value of the work. It is a part of their cultural identity. It could easily have fallen into the hands of a private collector. Fortunately, it is where it belongs, in the museum, where everyone can see it.
Good art is always a reflection of its time and place. Mondrian's impressions of New York are all contained in the canvas. You can read it like a score of a boogie woogie piece. The hellish traffic, the structured street plan of New York and the unbridled optimism that American society offered are all contained in the work.
(This is exercise in organizing thoughts about what I have read and seen)
Good art is always a reflection of its time and place. Mondrian's impressions of New York are all contained in the canvas. You can read it like a score of a boogie woogie piece. The hellish traffic, the structured street plan of New York and the unbridled optimism that American society offered are all contained in the work.
(This is exercise in organizing thoughts about what I have read and seen)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews