Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) was a Dutch painter and an early leader of modern abstract art. He is best known as a major member of the De Stijl movement, which advocated for purely abstract forms in modern art. His signature style features a grid of straight black lines and right angles filled with primary colors, white, or gray. This approach sought to achieve extreme formal purity and reflect a spiritual belief in a harmonious universe.

Before reaching total abstraction, his early career included experiments with Luminism and Cubism in Paris. He eventually moved to New York in his later years, where he continued to refine his geometric compositions until his death.