The Tree A c. 1913

Editor: Here we have Piet Mondrian’s “The Tree A”, an oil on canvas. The stark lines and muted palette are quite striking. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Consider Mondrian's use of materials here. The layered paint application and visible brushstrokes point to the process. How does the materiality of the oil paint influence your understanding of the subject? Editor: It feels very intentional, like each layer contributes to the overall feeling of a tree being broken down into its most basic forms. Curator: Exactly. It is a departure from traditional representation. How does the context of industrialization and mass production influence Mondrian's move towards abstraction, using the material to suggest a changing world? Editor: It does make me consider how the natural world was being re-shaped at the time. Thanks, that's a really insightful way to look at it. Curator: My pleasure. Considering art through the lens of material and production always reveals new perspectives.