Victory Boogie Woogie, an unfinished masterpiece by Piet Mondrian, was created in New York between 1942 and 1944. The painting of 127 by 127 cm mainly shows the primary colors blue, yellow and red, in addition to white, gray and black, which dance through surfaces, squares and blocks. The title refers to the vibrant energy of New York City, where Mondrian was inspired by the rhythm of daily life and jazz music. The work symbolizes his continuous search for harmony between movement and rest, characteristic of his later abstract style.
The title Victory Boogie Woogie is not Mondriaan's own. It is known that he saw this work as a second Boogie Woogie (after the earlier work Broadway Boogie Woogie) and that he also spoke of a Victory. Piet Mondriaan quickly became inspired by the American city of New York. Mondriaan was looking for a certain rhythm and speed in his works. He felt that the paintings he made would breathe and correspond to the everyday life that was visible in the Manhattan borough. Piet Mondriaan also found this speed in jazz and boogie-woogie music. Mondriaan was constantly working with this idea while painting paintings.
