Throughout this time, Mondrian’s official address was in Amsterdam, the city he had lived in since 1892, where he had studied and made his name as an artist. But since the start of the new century he had been finding most of his subject matter outside town. He roamed up and down the Gein river and lived in the Brabant region for a year from 1904 to 1905. During this period he also went to Twente more than once.
With its centuries-old landscapes of oak, ash and pine trees and traditional farmhouses, the region must have been an attractive destination for Mondrian. He drew profusely here, and the drawings were large. The skills he acquired in the process influenced his paintings, which were becoming increasingly daring. Seeking to express inner feelings and the the timelessness and emotional power of the landscape, Mondrian moved further and further away from a naturalistic use of colour.