Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Artist of the day, February 27: Theo van Doesburg, Dutch painter, Graphic designer, writer.

Theo van Doesburg, (1883 – 1931) was a Dutch artist, who practiced painting, writing, poetry and architecture. He is best known as the founder of De Stijl, but also worked as a painter, designer, and writer. Van Doesburg focused on post-impressionist-style paintings until he came across the works of Piet Mondrian, whose major influence on the artist is evident throughout his entire oeuvre in the wake of their introduction.

In 1917, van Doesburg and Mondrian formed the De Stijl group and its corresponding publication. The movement emphasized the simplification of traditional forms seen in anything from architecture to furniture and Fine Art. Highlighting the importance of the line to achieve a geometrically abstract quality, their goal was to unify the world through art, by ridding works of a particular style, hence the name’s literal meaning, the style. Omitting representational forms by democratizing shape, space, and color, their art could now be seen as harmonious, giving each individual element its own identity. The De Stijl journal was released in correspondence with the movement, and van Doesburg saw great success as an art writer both for the magazine and independently. He even created a typeface, Architype Van Doesburg, which was associated with the movement.

Van Doesburg also collaborated with architects throughout his career, showing a profound interest in stained glass, floor tiles, and thematic coloring for buildings. However, in 1920, he became increasingly more involved in the promotion of the De Stijl movement, and spent less time creating, choosing to travel instead. With help from artist Kurt Schwitters, van Doesburg was introduced to the Dada movement in Germany.

The artist returned to painting in 1924, this time adding diagonals to his compositions. This angered Mondrian, who believed that the addition of these lines diminished the purity associated with their ideals; and thus he chose to reject the movement and renounce their friendship. Despite their rift, De Stijl had a profound effect on the development of Modern design. This is notable particularly in the Bauhaus movement, evident in the austere yet universal qualities of later Bauhaus designs.

Van Doesburg work is now in prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and The Museum of Modern Art in New York.


Theo van Doesburg

Dancers

 Composition (Female Head),

Composition (The Cow)

Pure painting

Counter-Construction, Axonometric, Maison Particulière

Arithmetische Compositie



 Contra-Composition of Dissonances, XVI

Design for poster and The Little Review

Arithmetic composition

Cover of Art Concret

Composicion II naturaleza muerta

Composition with Four Black Squares and Four White Squares


audiokids







Composition IX

Counter Composition VIII

Cover of the launch issue of Art Concret



Dance I

Architecture and interiors, the Municipal Museum of the Hague House blueprint

Detail of Simultaneous







Stained glass window composition

Kleine Dada Soiree

La Matiere Denaturisee Destruction






Metalocus cafeaubette

Metalocus cafeaubette

Simultaneous counter composition











staircase



Still life

Study for Counter Composition



design interior dance hall L Aubette, Strassbourg






Study for Arithmetic composition

Aubette restored dance hall. Strasbourg



Color design for the ceiling of the Cafe Brasserie

Counter Composition 5








The construction of Space Time III



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