Published on March 30, 2026
Willem de Kooning’s life presents numerous contradictions. One of his works is famously regarded as the first example of abstract expressionism, yet he never felt fully tied to that particular movement. His artistic interests straddled a challenging blend of expressionism, cubism, and surrealism throughout his career.
Born in the Netherlands, de Kooning is often celebrated as an American painter after emigrating to the United States in 1926. He established himself in New York City, where he initially worked as a house painter. Despite this humble beginning, he emerged as one of the most significant artists of the mid-20th century. Over the years, especially in his youth, he explored various artistic styles before dedicating himself entirely to painting 1930s.
In his early years in the U.S., de Kooning primarily produced figurative paintings, including landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. However, he gradually moved towards a distinct simplification of forms, inching closer to abstract art. The abstract style, whether or not categorically labeled as expressionism, became the hallmark of his paintings during the period from 1945 to 1955.
During the latter years of that decade, alongside his abstract compositions, de Kooning developed a new type of representation focused on the female figure. This marked the beginning of an extensive series of works, most titled simply “Woman,” which would captivate his attention for nearly thirty years. Formally, these pieces are characterized by a combination of figurative elements and pure abstraction. In many of these works dedicated to the female form, de Kooning employed the action painting technique—a key characteristic of one of the two major strands of abstract expressionism—often favoring vibrant and warm colors.
Some critics have argued that the abundance of such paintings reveals a strong misogynistic streak in the artist’s perspective. However, in the final years of his life, de Kooning, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1989, intertwining these familiar themes with softer content and a return to abstract painting, as well as the exploration of sculpture. He never publicly commented on the deeper meaning behind his peculiar fixation on the female figure or his methods of depicting it, leaving room for ongoing speculation. The conversation around this topic is likely to persist for generations, illustrating the endless possibilities that art offers.
A short but insightful introduction to de Kooning is available in Spanish on [this website](http://www.warhol.org/sp/app_dekooning.html). For an in-depth exploration in English, the Arthistory site features a good section dedicated to him: [Arthistory](http://www.theartstory.org/artist-de-kooning-willem.htm). Additionally, you can find a comprehensive chronology of the painter’s life to download in PDF format on [this link](http://www.xavierhufkens.com/2p5GR3iEa2Hx/DEKO/TXT/DEKO-BIO.pdf).
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