De Stijl

100 years of De Stijl

In 2017 it has been 100 years since the art movement De Stijl was founded. At Art Deco Web Store we also celebrate this festive year with beautiful designer gifts that are befitting of the principles of De Stijl. De Stijl was a Dutch art movement that was active between 1917-1981. It originated around the magazine ‘De Stijl’ that was founded by Theo van Doesburg. The members strove to create pure designs by incorporating simplicity, abstraction and primary colours. Well-known artists of De Stijl movement were Gerrit Rietveld, Piet Mondrian and J.J.P. Oud among others.

In the Netherlands, Gerrit Rietveld (1888-1964) was one of the people who was able to translate De Stijl into architecture. The Rietveld Schröder House in Utrecht might just be Rietveld’s most famous design. In 1923-1924, this house was made according De Stijl’s ideas and it can be recognised by its primary colours, geometrical shape (horizontal and vertical elements), functionality and the transparent character which blurs the line between indoors and outdoors. The remarkable construction is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This house is also home to the world famous Gerrit Rietveld Hanging lamp.

The book ‘Art Deco in the Dutch ‘Waarden’’ shows the Zessen House. This cubistic building in Alblasserdam was designed by the famous urban designer Cornelis van Eesteren (1897-1988). Theo van Doesburg (1883-1931) determined the colour scheme for both the inside and outside of the house, after which the house was built in 1923. The front of the house shows typical features of De Stijl, such as the use of the primary colours red, blue and yellow in combination with neutral grey, black and white. Its cubistic character, flat roof and lack of decorations show the principles of De Stijl.

Miffy

The bright colours and seemingly simple shapes with which Dick Bruna (1927-2017) has eternalised Miffy can easily be recognised. The colour scheme that was used by Dick Bruna for the stories of Miffy and her family and friends is clear and mainly consist of primary colours. That’s why is is not surprising that Dick Bruna was inspired by artists of ‘De Stijl’ such as Piet Mondriaan and Bart van der Leck.