Random discovery

Recently, when looking for material relating to some of Richard Neutra’s projects, various photos of the interiors of the house that Neutra designed in 1940 for Jan and Peggy de Graaff emerged. Mondrian’s work appears in four of these photos. (10, 11, 12A, 12b) In the first two photos, presumably dated 1942 c., Mondrian’s painting is placed on the fireplace wall, while on the floor there is a carpet by Bart van der Leck that Jan de Graaff (most likely) will donate to MoMA together with a work by Mark Tobey, “Remote Field”. The one on the coffee table appears to be a small sculpture by Georg Kolbe (probably), the work to the right of Mondrian’s painting must be identified. The third and fourth photos shows Mondrian’s painting on the end wall of the living room, in the area intended for the piano, near the passage to the dining area. Probably the de Graaffs must have understood that above the fireplace it was not the ideal position for the “whiteness” of the painting. These are certainly later photos, perhaps taken in 1943. (See the plan with the position of the shots)

Photos

10 and 11 in Avery Drawings & Archives Colections of Columbia University Libraries (Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jan De Graaff. Accession number - 1981.007) 12A in Oregon Historical Society Library - Van Evera Bailey architectural photographs collection. 12B found randomly on WEB (source under investigation)

11

12A 10

12B

11

PIET MONDRIAN - B313

C. S. PRICE - THE DREAM

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