'Woman I'

WILLEM OF KOONING

1950-52
oil on canvas, 192.7- 147.3 cm. - New York, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) (www.moma.org) © Willem de Kooning

---

---

At the heart of the unstoppable abstract expressionism arises the figure of Willem de Kooning; American, born in the Netherlands, expressionist but not always abstract. His series of "women" paintings, of which this one from the MOMA is the most representative, represent the zenith of his oeuvre.

“It did one thing for me", said de Kooning about this painting. "It eliminated composition, arrangement, relationships, light – all this silly talk about line, colour and form...” In effect, beyond the terrible and ruthless force exhibited by these women - described by T. Hess as “black goddesses”- we can interpret it as a relative and momentary return to the figurative language after the splendour of abstract expressionism

Text: G. Fernández, www.theartwolf.com

PREVIOUS PAINTING | back to INDEX | NEXT PAINTING