Boerenerf in het Gooi geflankeerd door jonge boompjes 1901 - 1902

Piet Mondrian made this painting of a farmyard in the Gooi area with oil on canvas, though we don't know exactly when. Look at how he builds the scene with these energetic dabs and strokes, a real hands-on, physical process. Up close, you can almost feel the thickness of the paint, especially in the foliage. It’s like he’s sculpting with colour, not just painting, which gives the whole scene a vivid, almost tangible quality. Notice how the greens and browns aren’t just flat - they shimmer with light, thanks to the varied brushwork. The way he's captured the light filtering through the trees reminds me of some early Fauvist landscapes. That little white and black shape tucked away to the right; I think that’s a cow! It’s a detail that suggests something of the daily life of the farm, adding a layer of narrative into the mix. Mondrian is famous for his later geometric work, but paintings like this remind us that art is a journey, a conversation, and that artists are always exploring, experimenting, and feeling their way forward.