Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Portrait of Lena Milius - Theo van Doesburg
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A 1917 portrait by Dutch artist Theo van Doesburg, depicting Lena Milius with simplified forms and expressive brushwork.
This portrait of Lena Milius, painted by Theo van Doesburg in 1917, captures a moment in the artist's career before his complete transition into the geometric abstraction associated with the De Stijl movement. While Van Doesburg is widely recognised for his later work with primary colours and orthogonal grids, this piece demonstrates his earlier engagement with expressionist tendencies and simplified form.
The subject, Lena Milius, was the artist's second wife. The composition focuses on the frontal view of the sitter, with a direct gaze that engages the viewer. Van Doesburg employs a palette dominated by a distinct green garment, contrasted against the pale, almost chalky tones of the skin. The brushwork is visible and deliberate, moving away from academic realism toward a more subjective interpretation of the human face. The dark, heavy application of paint around the eyes and hair provides a structural weight to the head, while the background remains largely neutral, allowing the figure to occupy the entirety of the visual space.
This work provides insight into the stylistic shifts occurring in early twentieth-century Dutch art. The artist simplifies the facial features into planes of colour, hinting at the reductionist philosophy that would soon define his output. The visible texture of the canvas remains apparent, adding a tactile quality to the surface. By focusing on the essential characteristics of the sitter rather than photographic detail, Van Doesburg creates a study of presence and character. It is a clear example of the transition between figurative representation and the search for a universal visual language that occupied many European artists during this period. The painting remains a significant document of the personal and artistic life of one of the founders of the De Stijl movement.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
Portrait of Lena Milius - Theo van Doesburg
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Theo Van Doesburg
Van Doesburg published Dada poetry under one pseudonym, anti-philosophical prose under another, and founded De Stijl under his adopted surname. His birth name was Christian Emil Marie Kupper. He took "van Doesburg" from his stepfather, "I.K. Bonset" from a Dutch pun meaning "I am foolish", and "Aldo Camini" from somewhere in his imagination. No other founding figure of geometric abstraction operated under so many identities.
He was born in Utrecht in 1883. After encountering Mondrian's work around 1915, he sought him out and together they launched the magazine De Stijl in 1917, along with Bart van der Leck, Vilmos Huszar, J.J.P. Oud and Antony Kok. Van Doesburg was the movement's organiser, publicist and ambassador, travelling across Europe to promote Neoplasticism while Mondrian stayed in his studio.
In 1922 he moved to Weimar and set up an unofficial school near the Bauhaus to attract students to Constructivist and De Stijl ideas. Walter Gropius acknowledged the influence but refused to give Van Doesburg a teaching post. The rivalry was productive: Bauhaus design absorbed De Stijl principles without crediting the source.
The break with Mondrian came over diagonals. Mondrian insisted on strictly horizontal and vertical lines; Van Doesburg introduced the diagonal in his Counter-Compositions, arguing for dynamic rather than static geometry. They stopped speaking. In 1929 they met accidentally in a Paris cafe and reconciled.
He married three times. His third wife, Nelly van Moorsel, was an artist, pianist and choreographer. He died in Davos in 1931, at forty-seven, from a heart attack. De Stijl ended with him.
He was born in Utrecht in 1883. After encountering Mondrian's work around 1915, he sought him out and together they launched the magazine De Stijl in 1917, along with Bart van der Leck, Vilmos Huszar, J.J.P. Oud and Antony Kok. Van Doesburg was the movement's organiser, publicist and ambassador, travelling across Europe to promote Neoplasticism while Mondrian stayed in his studio.
In 1922 he moved to Weimar and set up an unofficial school near the Bauhaus to attract students to Constructivist and De Stijl ideas. Walter Gropius acknowledged the influence but refused to give Van Doesburg a teaching post. The rivalry was productive: Bauhaus design absorbed De Stijl principles without crediting the source.
The break with Mondrian came over diagonals. Mondrian insisted on strictly horizontal and vertical lines; Van Doesburg introduced the diagonal in his Counter-Compositions, arguing for dynamic rather than static geometry. They stopped speaking. In 1929 they met accidentally in a Paris cafe and reconciled.
He married three times. His third wife, Nelly van Moorsel, was an artist, pianist and choreographer. He died in Davos in 1931, at forty-seven, from a heart attack. De Stijl ended with him.
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Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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