Sketch of a Landscape

Sketch of a Landscape from 1901, now in the Centraal Museum, is among the early works that establish van Doesburg's background in conventional Dutch landscape painting before his transformation into one of the twentieth century's most radical abstract artists. The sketch format suggests direct observation from nature — a working study rather than a finished composition — and connects him to the plein-air tradition that dominated Dutch landscape painting in the late nineteenth century. In hindsight, the visible brushstrokes and interest in surface texture can be read as nascent concerns that De Stijl would later resolve into pure geometric structure.

As a sketch, the work prioritizes observation over elaboration. Van Doesburg's handling is direct and responsive — short strokes building texture and atmosphere without refinement. The palette draws on the muted greens, greys, and ochres conventional to Dutch landscape. The compositional structure is informal, consistent with outdoor sketching practice.