F15

Old vs. New Consciousness: The chapter begins with the contrast between the old consciousness, focusing on individuality, and the new consciousness, aiming towards the universal. This theme of the individual versus the universal is significant in both art and the socio-political landscape of the time, especially during and after World War I.
Influential Figures: Key figures include Robert van 't Hoff, Jan Wils, and poet Anthony Kok. They participated in the movement's foundational ideologies, although Kok diverged from the main path.

Destruction of Preceding Ideals: The war is portrayed as a catalyst that destroyed old ideologies, such as the emphasis on individual creativity, leading to a new artistic paradigm.
Manifesto of 1918: Published in the magazine De Stijl, it called for a balance between individuality and universal concepts, encouraging liberation in art from tradition and individualism.

Cultural Transcendence: They aimed to create a culture that transcended the tragedy of individualism with immutable laws, drawing inspiration from philosophers like Spinoza and Calvinistic thought.
Quotable Aphorism: "The object of nature is man, the object of man is style." This highlights the movement's aspiration toward reform in art and culture.

Schoenmaekers' Influence: M.H. Schoenmaekers' works introduced Neo-Platonic and Theosophical ideas to the movement, emphasizing a metaphysical worldview that aligned with their artistic visions.
De Stijl's Origins: Established in 1917, Dutch De Stijl was centered around notable figures: Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg, and Gerrit Rietveld, among others.
Artistic Foundations: Berlage’s socio-cultural critique profoundly influenced the movement, leading to the adoption of the term "De Stijl."

Mondrian's Evolution: His return from Paris marked a pivotal shift toward his new geometric style, embracing compositions of colored planes.
Term Origin: "Neo-Plasticism," derived from Schoenmaekers, signifies a quest for pure artistic expression bounded by primary colors and structured forms.

Robert van 't Hoff: Constructed a Wright-inspired villa, signaling the first architectural expression aligned with De Stijl's principles.
Role of Van der Leck and Vantongerloo: Their independence contributed to defining De Stijl's aesthetic clarity, influencing works and diverging from restrictive adherence to Van Doesburg's vision.

Art and Architecture Integration: The Red/Blue chair designed by Rietveld showcased Neo-Plastic aesthetic in furniture design and architecture, emphasizing primary colors and simple geometrical forms.
Shift in Group Composition: By 1921, many original members distanced themselves from the movement, prompting Van Doesburg to advocate for De Stijl globally.

Van Doesburg in Germany: His introduction to the Bauhaus led to crucial collaborations, influencing the course of architectural design within the De Stijl framework.
Van Doesburg's Artistic Transformation: Influenced by Lissitzky, his work increasingly incorporated dynamics and asymmetrical elements in architecture.

Cracks in Unity: Tension arose between Mondrian and Van Doesburg, correlated to divergent interpretations of Neo-Plasticism, with Mondrian maintaining a strict adherence to its principles.
Café L'Aubette: Van Doesburg's last significant design pivoted dramatically into expressive, diagonally structured interiors that departed from earlier orthogonal emphases.

Universal Harmony: By the mid-1920s, the movement's vision of universal harmony began to fray, as individual interpretations took precedence.
Final Works: Van Doesburg's last works reflect an evolution back to purely abstract painting, disentangling from the unified artistic aspirations of De Stijl.
Passing of Influence: With Van Doesburg's death in 1931, a significant chapter in the Neo-Plastic movement closed, leaving only Mondrian as a steadfast proponent of its core tenets.