Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979) and Nelly van Doesburg (1899–1975) were vital participants in the De Stijl movement, promoting, exhibiting and buying De Stijl at a time when few had interest in the geometric language of forms being developed by Theo van Doesburg, Piet Mondrian and others in the Netherlands. Guggenheim and van Doesburg’s efforts helped ensure that De Stijl came to be recognized internationally as one of the most important art movements of the 20th century.

Richly illustrated with works by van Doesburg, Mondrian, Vantongerloo, El Lissitzky, Brancusi, Pevsner and Léger, this publication is the first to highlight the role of women in De Stijl. Peggy Guggenheim and Nelly van Doesburg, the story of two strong women in a world dominated by men, sheds new light on a chapter in the history of the early 20th century avant-garde.