Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Composition with Blue and Yellow (Composition Bleu-Jaune)

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Object Details

Artist
Piet Mondrian, Dutch, b. Amersfoort, 1872–1944
Provenance
The Artist, Paris, 1935-c. 1937
Mrs. Nan Roberts, London (Ben Nicholson's sister-in-law), c. 1937-1956 (acquired from the artist for £25)
[V. Fletcher: see catalogue raisonne which lists Winifred Nicholson (wife of Ben) as the original owner.]
Harold Diamond, New York, 1956
G. David Thompson, Pittsburgh, 1956-1960
Galerie Beyeler, Basel, 1960-1961
Harold Diamond, New York, 1961-1962
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick R. Weisman, Los Angeles, 1962-1968
Harold Diamond, New York, to 24 May 1968
Joseph H. Hirshhorn, New York, 24 May 1968-1972
Gift of the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Foundation, 1972
Exhibition History
KUNSTHAUS, Zurich. "Thompson Pittsburgh: Aus einer Amerikanischen Privatsammlung," 15 October-27 November 1960, no. 149, colorpl. (as Komposition Blau-Gelb). Tour: KUNST MUSEUM, Dusseldorf, "Sammlung G. David Thompson," 14 December 1960-29 January 1961; HAAGS GEMEENTEMUSEUM, The Hague, "Collectie Thomson Uit Pittsburgh," 12 February-9 April, no. 143, colorpl.; SOLOMON R. GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, New York, "One Hundred Paintings from the G. David Thompson Collection," May-August; GALLERIA CIVICA D'ARTE MODERNA, Turin, "Collezione G. David Thompson Pittsburgh," October-November.
PASADENA ART MUSEUM. "A View of this Century," 24 November-19 December 1964, no. 44, ill. (as Composition Blue-Yellow, lent by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Weisman).
GALERIE BEYELER, Basel. "Mondrian," December 1964-January 1965 (lent by Private Collection).
SOLOMON R GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM, New York. "Piet Mondrian Centennial Exhibition," 7 October-12 December 1971, no. 116, colorpl. (did not tour).
HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. "Inaugural Exhibition," 4 October 1974-15 September 1975, no. 503.
HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. "Dreams and Nightmares: Utopian Visions in Modern Art," 8 December 1983-12 February 1984, no. 58, color ill. p. 93 and frontispiece.
CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, Paris. "Mondrian in Paris," 1 December 2010-21 March 2011.
HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. "Manifesto: Art x Agency," 15 June 2019-31 January 2020.
Published References
SEUPHOR, MICHEL. Piet Mondrian: Life and Work (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1956; Cologne: Du Mont, 1957; Paris, 1970), no. 531, p. 429, cc. 379, ill. p. 390 (as Composition, 1932/36, no. collection or size given).
F.S. "Les expositions a l'etranger: Dusseldorf-Klee et la collection G. David Thompson," Aujourd'hui 5 (February 1961), p. 52.
NORDLAND, GERALD. "Collecting in Los Angeles," Artforum 2 (Summer 1964), p. 18, ill. (in situ in Weisman collection).
SCHMIDT, GEORGE (intro.). Piet Mondrian (Basel: Galerie Beyeler, n.d. [after January 1965]), colorplate 53 (cropped). Listed as Seuphor ill. 381, Private Collection.
MARMER, NANCY. "Los Angeles Letter," Art International 9 (February 1965), p. 32.
IVES-STILLMAN, INC. Announcemnet offering portfolio (New Haven, 1965-66), colorplate.
UNSIGNED. "Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden," Smithsonian Year 1968 (Washington, DC, 1969), p. 222, ill. p. 223.
ROBERTSON, NAN. "Hirshhorn Gives Museum 326 Works," New York Times (March 10, 1972).
LERNER, ABRAM, et al. The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1974), p. 724, colorplate 503.
LERNER, ABRAM. An Introduction to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1974), no. 68.
OTTOLENGHI, MARIA GRAZIA. L'Opera Completa di Mondrian (Milan: Rizzdi, 1974), no. 422, ill.
CHAMPA, KERMIT. "Piet Mondrian's 'Composition with Blue and Yellow'," Arts Magazine 53 (January 1979), pp. 137-39, color ill. p. 138.
CARMEAN, E.A. Mondrian: The Diamond Compositions (Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1979), ill. 45, p. 54 (not in exhibition).
UNSIGNED. A Guide to Teaching Art in the Primary Grades K-3 (Fairfax, Virginia: Fairfax County Public Schools, 1983), pp. 278, 279, ill.
PARK, EDWARDS. Treasures from the Smithsonian (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1983), ill.
BRITSCH, RALPH A. and TODD A. BRITSCH. The Arts in Western Culture (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1984), p. 387, ill.
CHAMPA, KERMIT SWILER. Mondrian Studies (Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1985), pl. 20.
WOLF, ALINE. Mommy, It's a Renoir!: Child-Size Masterpieces (Altoona, Pennsylvania: Parent Child Press, 1986), ill.
BATES, SUSAN, and ANNE FICKLEN, eds. A Picture Tour of the Smithsonian (New York: American Legacy Press, 1987), ill. p. 39.
WHITFORD, FRANK. Understanding Abstract Art (London: Barrie & Jenkins, 1987), ill. pp. 13, 118, 129.
BERGER, ARTHUR ASA. Seeing Is Believing (Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing, 1989), ill. p. 5 (fig. 0.6).
VARNEDOE, KIRK. A Fine Disregard (New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1989), no. 160, p. 158.
INDURKHYA, BIPIN. Studies in Cognitive Systems, vol. 13: Metaphor and Cognition (Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1992), pl. 3, p. 43.
GIBSON, ERIC. "Museum pursues new look," Washington Times (20 December 1992).
APPEL, ALFRED, JR. The Art of Celebration (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1993), ill. p. 7.
BLOTKAMP, CAREL. Mondrian: The Art of Destruction (London: Reaktion Book, 1994), colorpl. 163, p. 217.
SAYRE, HENRY M. A World of Art, second edition (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1997), fig. 277, p. 161.
AQUIN, STEPHANE, et al. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: The Collection (New York: DelMonico Books, 2022), pl. 68, p. 88.
See file for further info.
Credit Line
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Gift of the Joseph H. Hirshhorn Foundation, 1972
1935
Accession Number
72.205
Type
Painting
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
28 3/4 x 27 1/4 in. (73 x 69.6 cm)
See more items in
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Collection
School
Geometric Abstraction
On View
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (Washington, DC), 2nd Floor
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Record ID
hmsg_72.205
Metadata Usage (text)
Not determined
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/py2045cd6ba-93ed-4c43-ab37-654a40a13b2c

Related Content

  • Smithsonian Color Journey:Untitled

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top