The Story of De Stijl: Mondrian to Van Doesburg

Dutch for "The Style," the De Stijl movement (also chronicled in a journal of the same name) aspired to lofty utopian ideals and was most closely associated with writer, painter, and designer Theo Van Doesburg, who tirelessly promoted the concept and often acted as self-appointed caretaker of style in all its forms. Here, Dutch modern art curator Janssen (coauthor, Mondrian De Stijl) and University of York senior lecturer White (De Stijl and Dutch Modernism) attempt to tie together the threads of art, architecture, and fashion that were inspired by the movement. Attractively packaged, the book offers a loose timeline of the evolution of De Stijl, accompanied by short profiles of key contributors, such as Piet Mondrian, J.J.P. Oud, and Piet Zwart, as well as showcasing a generous number of images of their iconic work. Readers may be surprised at how the movement affected areas as diverse as kitchen design and urban planning, in addition to the sheer number of artists influenced by the concept. Despite often suffering from stilted and technical prose, this beautifully arranged volume will appeal to students of the movement and armchair art historians alike. Photos and illus. (Dec.)