Composition 1917 - 1918

Theo van Doesburg created this painting, titled Composition, using oil on canvas. At first glance, it seems to be a straightforward arrangement of black, white and ochre rectangles. But look closer, and you'll notice the careful application of paint, the slight variations in texture. Van Doesburg wasn't just slapping color onto a surface; he was thoughtfully building up layers, allowing each hue to interact with its neighbors. There’s also a kind of labor present here. Not the obvious kind, like a potter wrestling with clay, but a mental labor, of careful planning and execution. In its own way, this is as skilled a performance as any virtuoso display. It prompts us to ask what kind of work counts as "real" work. Is it only manual labor, or can intellectual effort also be considered a form of making? Ultimately, this painting invites us to reconsider our preconceptions about art, skill, and the value of different forms of labor. It challenges us to look beyond the surface and appreciate the thought and effort that went into its creation.