Gray Tree by Piet Mondrian is a painting of an achromatic tree that is abstracted to the point of being barely recognizable. It is the second in a series of tree paintings and shows the evolution of Mondrian's artistic ideals as he shifted towards his Cubist style. The tree form is composed of strokes of dark gray and repeated curved black lines, which dominate most of the canvas. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| He matches the subdued colors used by Cubists, relying heavily on a variety of gray tones to define both the "trunk" and the space surrounding the tree. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| He utilizes a pyramidal composition to organize the elements on the picture plane, allowing the viewer's eye to flow through and remain focused on the tree. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| This painting represents a step in Mondrian's progression through Cubism, as he geometrically abstracted the tree subject until very little of it remained. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| The painting's composition is balanced with circles scattered across the picture plane, with a larger cluster just off-center. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| On the left side of the picture, there is a light blue tone that defines the edge of a small section of this color shift. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| The use of light and color guides the viewer's eye around the piece, with a large black circle serving as the focal point. Kandinsky's use of circles imbues the piece with a deeper spiritual meaning, creating a symphonic image of the cosmos that is understood by the human soul.

Comparing Piet Mondrian's Gray Tree and Wassily Kandinsky's Several Circles, both paintings seek to understand the universe through abstraction, becoming more felt than seen. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| In contrast, Kandinsky, an Abstract Expressionist, used circles and color to find a spiritual purpose. |||||||| HIDDEN IN PREVIEW MODE ||||||| Through the circle, Kandinsky found a link to the cosmic, combining concentric and eccentric elements in a single form.

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