New York City I
Painting on canvas • Piet Mondrian
Style & Movement
De Stijl / Neoplasticism
Medium & Technique
Oil and paper tape on canvas (preliminary stages often used tape, finished in oil)
Creation Period
1942
Dimensions & Format
119.3 cm x 114.2 cm; approximately square format
Subject Description
A complex grid of intersecting primary-colored lines (yellow, red, blue) on a white ground, representing the rhythmic energy and topographical layout of New York City.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent (original), though the image provided is a digital reproduction with glare.
Estimated Market Value
$50 million - $100 million+ (valuation based on comparable masterpiece sales)
Auction Estimate
$60 million - $80 million
Provenance History
Currently in the collection of Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf; previously part of the artist's estate.
Art Historical Significance
A pivotal work from Mondrian's late New York period marking a shift from black lines to colored lines, reflecting his fascination with jazz and urban dynamism.
Notable Features
Notable for the recent revelation (2022) by curators that the orientation of the thicker line cluster should likely be at the top, contrary to historical display.
Condition Issues
Modern discovery in 2022 suggests the work has been hanging upside down for decades; minor surface aging typical of mid-century oils.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain strict climate control, stable humidity, and UV-filtered lighting; monitoring of adhesive stability if tape is present.