De Stijl

The De Stijl, translated as “the style” was an art movement that began after the First World War led by a group of Dutch artists.  The idea of the movement was to simplify art and abstraction.  Formal art 

concepts were placed aside; the artists incorporated primary colors, straight lines, and geometric shapes.  While various resources credit either Theo van Doesberg or Piet Mondrian as the founders and primary advocates of the movement, several other artists like Rietveld, Oud, and Vantongerloo supported the movement. 

While the members of the movement followed the collective ideas of De Stilj, placing the art ahead of the artist and individuality, the media on which the artists practiced varied.  Mondrian focused primarily on paintings where van Doesberg extended the ideas into architecture and furniture.  The movement published a journal named De Stijl from 1917-1932.  Although the movement did not last, the concepts and influences are still seen today in abstract art, architecture, interior design and furniture.

Sources:

http://www.abstract-art-explained.com/DeStijlMovement.html

http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/d/destijl.html

http://www.arthistoryguide.com/De_Stijl.aspx