Broadway Boogie Woogie
Piet Mondrian
Description
This painting is made up of a grid of small, brightly colored squares and rectangles, mostly in yellow, red, blue, and gray. At first, it might look like a purely abstract pattern, but it's actually Mondrian's interpretation of New York City's street layout, inspired by the rhythms of jazz and boogie woogie music.
Analysis
Broadway Boogie Woogie is a great example of geometric abstraction. Mondrian believed that by stripping away everything unnecessary curves, shading, detail, he could reach something more universal and pure. There are no traditional images, no buildings, no people but the painting pulses with energy, like a city in motion.
Details
- Date:1942-1943
- Medium:Oil on canvas
- Dimensions:127 cm x 127 cm
- Location:Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York City