The artwork titled “Composition IX, opus 18, 1917,” created by Theo van Doesburg in 1917, is an oil on canvas piece measuring 106 x 116 cm. This abstract painting, representative of the Neoplasticism movement, is housed at the Gemeentemuseum den Haag in The Hague, Netherlands.
The artwork displays a complex arrangement of rectangular forms and linear segments, predominantly in shades of black, white, and gray, with occasional hints of blue. These geometric elements interlock and overlap across the canvas, creating a dynamic interplay of positive and negative spaces. The composition reflects the Neoplasticist emphasis on universal harmony and order, eschewing natural forms in favor of abstraction. The calculated precision and balance in the distribution of shapes capture Theo van Doesburg’s exploration of pure abstraction and his contribution to modernist aesthetics.
