Theo van Doesburg( born Christian Emil Marie Küpper), was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, on August 30, 1883, died 1931. He was a dutch painter, decorator, writer, art critic and the leader of the avant garde movement, De Stijl In 1917.
De Stijl or Neoplasticism is a Dutch art movement that influenced art, architecture and design. The movement completely embraced the abstract. The aesthetics of the movement featured simplistic elements such as geographic shapes lines and primary colours .
Van Doesburg was an artist in the Impressionist and Fauvist style until he turned to geometric abstractions of subjects from nature. His works featured strictly geometric shapes, vertical and horizontal lines and primary colours. Later in his carrer he introduced the diagonal line. Doesburg started to focus on promoting the De Stijl movemrnt in Germany and fracnce by lectureing at the Weimar Bauhus.
In 1931, Doesburg was involved in the formation of the abstract creation association, agroup of artists that promoted pure abstraction in art.
Does burg is also known for developing a sans serif modular typeface called VAN DOESBURG’S ARCHITYPE that was finalised in 1919.
Gallery
Counter Composition in Dissonance 16 (1925)
This piece is the most well known of the Counter Compositions series. It features rectangles made with thick black lines tilted at a 45 degree angle. The tones of yellows, reds, blues greys and whites in the paining are subtley shifted throught the painting to create a complex and dynamic balance.
Stained glass Composition IV (1918)
Created for the de Lange House, this stained glass piece was made as Doesdurg explored the decorative and applied arts.
Inspired Works
References
Visual Communication 