The artwork, titled “Composition (The Cow),” was created by Theo van Doesburg around 1917. Employing pencil on paper as his medium, van Doesburg’s piece fits within the Expressionism art movement and belongs to the sketch and study genre. This intricate work measures 11.7 by 15.9 centimeters and is housed in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, New York.
The artwork itself presents a seemingly abstract composition. Using delicate lines and geometric forms, van Doesburg appears to deconstruct and recompose the figure of a cow. The use of pencil suggests an intentional emphasis on form and line work, unrestricted by the limitations of color. Soft shading and intersecting lines create a sense of depth and movement, inviting the viewer to explore the spatial complexity and underlying thematic elements of the sketch. The piece epitomizes the artist’s exploration of abstraction and encapsulates a moment of artistic experiment within the broader canvas of Expressionism.
