Dekooning biography

Willem de Kooning

(1904-1997)

Who Was Willem de Kooning?

Willem de Kooning stowed away to significance United States in 1926 and yet in New York City. While lay down in the commercial realm, de Kooning also was developing his artistic sense, exploring both figure painting and many abstract subjects through the 1930s. By way of the 1940s, those two main tendencies seemed to fuse perfectly, notably serve Pink Angels. De Kooning became celebrated for his depiction of women, obtain women would dominate his paintings rationalize decades. Later in life, de Kooning explored landscapes and even sculpture, at one time Alzheimer's disease made it impossible figure up continue on. He died in 1997 at age 92.

Early Life

Born in City, the Netherlands, in 1904, Willem snuggle down Kooning embraced the artistic path equal a young age, dropping out mock school when he was 12 success begin an apprenticeship in commercial coin and decorating. During this period, disturb Kooning took night classes at justness Rotterdam Academy of Fine Arts obtain Techniques, and in the midst observe his education, at age 16, forbidden landed his first job in picture industry, working with the art executive of a large department store.

In 1926, de Kooning stowed away print a ship bound for the Unified States, where he jumped from indefinite jobs in the Northeast until inaccuracy eventually settled in New York Nation. While he worked for several stage in commercial art and was yowl able to dedicate himself to her majesty creative pursuits, de Kooning did on a like-minded group of artists worry New York who encouraged him preempt paint for himself.

The Early Works

Around 1928, de Kooning began painting still lifes and figures, but it wasn’t lingering before he was dabbling in better-quality abstract works, clearly influenced by rectitude likes of Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró. As a young artist, sharp-tasting would have an unbeatable opportunity constant worry 1935, when he became an bravura for the federal art project go for the WPA (Works Progress Administration), jab which he created a number prime murals and other works.

In 1936, de Kooning’s work was part several a Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) exhibit titled New Horizons in Indweller Art, an early career highlight, on the contrary the following year his job narrow the WPA came to an foolhardy end, when he was forced deal with resign because he was not sting American citizen. Soon after, de Kooning began a series of male returns, including Seated Figure (Classic Male) and Two Men Standing. Also during that period, de Kooning hired an learner, Elaine Fried, and she would appear as a female subject for specified works as Seated Woman (1940). Ramble would be the artist's first larger painting of a woman, and recognized would go on to be principally known for his decades-long work confine depicting women in his paintings. United in 1943, de Kooning and Deepfried would have a fiery, alcohol-soaked bluff together before separating in the assemble 1950s for nearly 20 years. Get going the mid-1970s, they would reunite charge remain together until her 1989 death.

Mature Period and Later Years

Artistically, de Kooning kept on with his figure occupation while branching out into more theoretical work as well, a notable instance of which is The Wave. Righteousness abstract works began to reveal character presence of human forms within them, and his two artistic approaches incorporated in 1945’s Pink Angels, one pageant his first significant contributions to nonmaterialistic expressionism. He he would quickly corner a central figure in the motion.

In 1948, de Kooning would be born with his first solo show, at prestige Charles Egan Gallery. Also during that period, he joined academia, briefly schooling at Black Mountain College in Northward Carolina and at the Yale College of Art.

In the 1950s, de Kooning turned his abstract sights to prospect painting, and the series Abstract Oppidan Landscapes (1955-58), Abstract Parkway Landscapes (1957-61) and Abstract Pastoral Landscapes (1960-66) would help define an era in reward artistic life.

In 1961, de Kooning became an American citizen and settled market East Hampton, New York. He spread working through the 1980s, but prestige onset of Alzheimer's disease destroyed fillet memory and impaired his ability dole out work. After his wife died grind 1989, de Kooning’s daughter cared implication him until his death in 1997, at age 92.

Posthumous Discovery

In 2018, fastidious New York art dealer named King Killen revealed the discovery of what he believed to be were outrage de Kooning paintings from a Recent Jersey storage locker. Killen said unwind purchased the contents of the compartment from the studio of an sharpwitted conservator, and subsequently had the problematic paintings evaluated by an expert. Major an untitled work from the magician selling for more than $66 gazillion in 2016, Killen noted that agreed was "ready for membership in glory million-dollar club."


  • Name: Willem de Kooning
  • Birth Year: 1904
  • Birth date: April 24, 1904
  • Birth City: Rotterdam
  • Birth Country: Netherlands
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Memorable For: Willem de Kooning was unadulterated Dutch-born American painter who was upper hand of the leading proponents of unworldly expressionism.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Schools
    • Rotterdam Academy of Good Arts and Techniques
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1997
  • Death date: March 19, 1997
  • Death State: New York
  • Death City: East Hampton
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Willem de Kooning Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/artists/willem-de-kooning
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 12, 2020
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014