COW

''COW Theo van Doesburg, aesthetically transformed Subject, 1917, Bauhaus-Archive, Berlin.''

Here, Van Doesburg manipulated a picture of a cow from a pencil drawing to one of a more abstract design. He first went along a similar style of Picasso (cubism) and then (last picture) ended on a style very similar to that of De Stijl (Neo-Plasticism). The jump from one picture of the cow to another was referred to as an obsurd one. It is there to point out the importance of abstract art and its significance. 

The first picture is there to clarify the last picture, as it might not being as evident as the other two what the artist is trying to portray. Having them next to eachother also creates a great contrast between the different styles of art. The first picture is more traditional and it is easy to interpret as it is obvious to the eye what the painter is trying to portray whereas in the other stages it might not be as clear as they are 'leaning' more towards modern art. One wouldn't normally think to portray a cow in such a way as the last picture. The different pictures/stages are showing us different ''intentions and effects. however strange they may be''.

pereirdasilva, 2010, COW Theo van Doesburg. [online] Available at: <http://pereiradasilva.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.htm> [Accessed 18 November 2012]