Abstract portrait 1915

This small abstract portrait by Theo van Doesburg, sitting here in Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, has been put together using oil paint with a muted palette. It’s full of soft greys, creams, and blues. I can imagine Van Doesburg moving around the canvas, piecing together this head with geometric blocks and shapes. Each brushstroke is a decision, a small negotiation between what he sees and what he feels. I'm curious as to how he felt about his subject, because it is an odd way to paint a face. What does the artist want the audience to feel when looking at it? There’s something vulnerable about the exposed surface. The colours blend together in some areas, with others standing out with their shapes. I'm thinking of Picasso and Braque and how this painting feels like a similar attempt to break down the world. Painters are always talking to each other, across time and space. Each stroke connects us to this conversation, this ongoing exploration of what it means to see and feel and paint.