History of Primary Colours: Red, Yellow, and Blue in Art and De Stijl
Kunstmuseum Den Haag – De Stijl Collection
Roadmap
From De Stijl to Dutch Design
The History of Primary Colours in Art
The concept of primary colours—red, yellow, and blue—has deep roots in Western art history. Artists and theorists have long believed these hues to be the fundamental building blocks of all other colours. From the Renaissance to modernism, red, yellow, and blue formed the core palette of painters, allowing them to create vibrant compositions with emotional impact and structural clarity.
Before scientific colour theory was established, artists used these colours intuitively. In the 17th and 18th centuries, painters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt used primary colours to build complex, luminous scenes. Later, artists like J.M.W. Turner and Eugène Delacroix began experimenting more deliberately with primaries to explore light and atmosphere.
However, it was the 20th century that gave red, yellow, and blue a new role—not just as pigments, but as philosophical symbols of a new visual language.
The Birth of De Stijl: A New Visual Language
In 1917, Dutch artist and writer Theo van Doesburg founded a journal titled De Stijl (Dutch for “The Style”) in the city of Leiden. This marked the beginning of one of the most influential avant-garde art movements of the 20th century. De Stijl was more than a magazine; it was a manifesto. Its contributors, including Piet Mondriaan, Gerrit Rietveld, and Bart van der Leck, sought to create a universal aesthetic using pure abstraction and simplicity.
At the heart of De Stijl’s visual language were the three primary colours—red, yellow, and blue—combined with black, white, and the use of straight vertical and horizontal lines. For Piet Mondriaan, these colours represented more than form. They were symbols of harmony and balance in a world recovering from the devastation of World War I.
Mondriaan’s geometric compositions became the gold standard for De Stijl. His artworks, built solely from lines and blocks of colour, were a radical departure from the representational art of the past. In the eyes of De Stijl artists, art, architecture, and design could transform society by introducing clarity, balance, and order.
De Stijl’s Influence on Design and Society
What set De Stijl apart from other art movements was its wide-reaching impact beyond the canvas. De Stijl ideals spread into architecture, furniture, fashion, and urban design. Gerrit Rietveld’s iconic Red and Blue Chair and the Rietveld Schröder House brought the principles of De Stijl into three-dimensional space. These designs emphasized simplicity, functionality, and colour as a structural element.
Gerrit Rietveld’s iconic Red and Blue Chair
By aiming to “modernize society,” De Stijl mirrored the ambitions of Germany’s Bauhaus movement. However, where Bauhaus embraced industrial production, De Stijl remained rooted in artistic purity. Together, these two movements laid the foundation for much of today’s modern and minimalist design.
100 Years of De Stijl: From Mondriaan to Dutch Design
In 2017, the Netherlands celebrated the centenary of De Stijl with the national theme “From Mondriaan to Dutch Design.” Museums across the country hosted exhibitions to honour the movement and its lasting legacy. Cities like The Hague, Utrecht, and Amersfoort—Mondriaan’s birthplace—held events that connected the past to the present.
The influence of De Stijl continues to shape Dutch Design today. Leading designers such as Hella Jongerius, Maarten Baas, Joris Laarman, and Piet Hein Eek draw inspiration from the movement’s principles. Their work often echoes De Stijl’s spirit: bold colours, clean lines, and a commitment to social improvement through design.
Looking Forward
Red, yellow, and blue have long been more than just colours. For the artists of De Stijl, they were tools for creating a better world. Today, these colours still serve as a visual shorthand for clarity, optimism, and possibility.
As the world faces new challenges—climate change, inequality, and conflict—the legacy of De Stijl invites us to reimagine how design can once again drive transformation. Artists and designers continue to turn to the primary colours and principles of De Stijl as they build bridges between aesthetics and social impact.
Whether in a museum, a public space, or a piece of furniture, the primary colours remind us that great design starts with bold, simple ideas—and that creativity, at its core, is a force for peace and progress.