Theo van Doesburg, painter and architect

Published in 1988 by SDU Publishers, this monograph on Theo van Doesburg was authored by Evert van Straaten, a noted scholar and former director of the Kröller-Müller Museum. The book serves as a comprehensive study of Van Doesburg, a central figure in the development of De Stijl and a pioneer of neoplasticism. It was produced to document the artist's dual mastery as both a painter and an architect, bridging his transition from early expressionism to the strict, geometric abstraction that defined his legacy.

The design and narrative structure of the volume reflect the meticulous academic rigor characteristic of Dutch art historical documentation from the late 1980s. Van Straaten sought to provide a clear, contextual analysis of Van Doesburg's radical theories, including his concept of elementarism, which challenged Piet Mondrian’s more rigid approach to the grid. The work is widely regarded as a foundational reference for understanding how Van Doesburg’s architectural theories were intended to create a total environment, or Gesamtkunstwerk, that harmonized painting with interior and structural design.