The artwork titled “Beggar,” created by Theo van Doesburg in 1914, is an oil painting belonging to the Expressionism movement. Measuring 37 x 18 cm, this genre painting is housed in the Centraal Museum located in Utrecht, Netherlands.
The artwork presents a solitary figure of a beggar, characterized by the use of deep, melancholic blue and grey tones. The figure, depicted in a somewhat hunched posture, conveys a sense of hardship and despair. The textured, visible brushstrokes enhance the emotional turmoil and suffering inherent in the subject’s life. The background is subdued and minimalistic, focusing the viewer’s attention solely on the beggar. The hands, slightly extended and open, emphasize the act of begging, underscoring themes of poverty and human vulnerability. The artist’s signature, “Theo v. D. 1914,” is discreetly placed at the bottom right corner, marking the work’s authenticity and date.
