 Structure theorem for functions of bounded variation

The functional $\phi \mapsto -\int u\mathrm{div}\phi$ is bounded in the uniform norm exactly when $u$ belongs to the BV space. Extend it from compactly supported smooth tests to $C_0$, then apply the Riesz-Markov-Kakutani representation theorem to obtain the unique finite vector Radon measure $Du$. Its dual norm is the defining variation supremum. This representation should be distinguished from the deeper rectifiability results used in the decomposition of a BV derivative.