Elaine de Kooning (1918 - 1989) was born Elaine Marie Catherine Fried, Flatbush, New York. She was an Abstract Expressionist and Figurative Expressionist painter in the post-World War II era. She wrote extensively on the art of the period and was an editorial associate for Art News magazine. On December 9, 1943, she married painter Willem de Kooning.
Elaine de Kooning was a prolific artist, art critic, portraitist, and teacher during the height of the Abstract Expressionists era and well beyond. Although her early career was overshadowed by that of Willem de Kooning, her husband, Elaine's artistic range, vast knowledge of media, and influence on fellow artists was undeniable. Many of her so-called pure abstract paintings were produced during the 1950s. Early in her career much of her work was composed of watercolors and still-lifes, and later much of her art fused abstraction with mythology, primitive imagery, and realism. Elaine de Kooning's work continues to receive increasing critical attention as she was, without question, one of the most important art teachers to have worked in the 20th century.
While Elaine de Kooning did use gestural brushstrokes in most of her work, much in the tradition of the "action" painters, Elaine's work was figurative and representational, at least to some degree, and her canvases were rarely purely abstract (in the vein of Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock).
She experimented with sculpture, etchings and subject matter inspired by cave drawings, all in addition to her wealth of painting, which included everything from watercolors and still lifes to abstractions and formal portraits.
Elaine and Willem de Kooning endured a long and, at times, very tumultuous marriage. As much as each artist benefited from one another's paintings and teachings, they mutually suffered due to constant infidelities and struggles with alcoholism.
Elaine de Kooning was a prolific artist, art critic, portraitist, and teacher during the height of the Abstract Expressionists era and well beyond. Although her early career was overshadowed by that of Willem de Kooning, her husband, Elaine's artistic range, vast knowledge of media, and influence on fellow artists was undeniable. Many of her so-called pure abstract paintings were produced during the 1950s. Early in her career much of her work was composed of watercolors and still-lifes, and later much of her art fused abstraction with mythology, primitive imagery, and realism. Elaine de Kooning's work continues to receive increasing critical attention as she was, without question, one of the most important art teachers to have worked in the 20th century.
While Elaine de Kooning did use gestural brushstrokes in most of her work, much in the tradition of the "action" painters, Elaine's work was figurative and representational, at least to some degree, and her canvases were rarely purely abstract (in the vein of Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock).
She experimented with sculpture, etchings and subject matter inspired by cave drawings, all in addition to her wealth of painting, which included everything from watercolors and still lifes to abstractions and formal portraits.
Elaine and Willem de Kooning endured a long and, at times, very tumultuous marriage. As much as each artist benefited from one another's paintings and teachings, they mutually suffered due to constant infidelities and struggles with alcoholism.
 |
| Mrs Elaine de Kooning |
 |
| Mrs Elaine de Kooning |
 |
| 1942, Self-Portrait #1 |
 |
| 1946, Joop Sanders |
 |
| 1946, Self-Portrait |
 |
| 1948, Untitled_Painting |
 |
| 1954, Conrad Fried |
 |
| 1954, Fairfield Porter #1 |
 |
| 1956, Harold Rosenberg, Art Critic |
 |
| 1957, Man in a Whirl |
 |
| 1957, Untitled |
 |
| 1958, Juarez |
 |
| 1959, Bullfight |
 |
| 1960, Southwest Landscape #5 |
 |
| 1961, The Loft Dwellers |
 |
| 1962, Merce Cunningham |
 |
| 1962, Sheila Rosenstein. |
 |
| 1962, Willem de Kooning |
 |
| 1963, The Burghers of Amsterdam Avenue |
 |
| 1963, John F. Kennedy |
 |
| 1963, John F. Kennedy (detail) |
 |
| 1965, Spring |
 |
| 1970, Abstract |
 |
| 1973, Robert de Niro |
 |
| 1973, Taurus IX |
 |
| 1980, John F. Kennedy #10 |
 |
| 1982, PELÉ |
 |
| 1983, Bacchus II |
 |
| 1986, Aladar Marberger #3 |
 |
| Aristedemos Kaldis |
 |
| Cover of Art News Magazine, Summer 1964 issue |
 |
| Donald Barthelme |
 |
| FRANK O'HARA |
 |
| Harold Rosenberg #1 |
 |
| John F. Kennedy wearing sunglasses |
 |
| Portrait of a Young Man 1 |
 |
| portrait of an artist |
 |
| portrait of John Glykos |
 |
| Quedado |
 |
| This emerald portrait of John F. Kennedy shows Elaine de Kooning quick, color-driven style |
 |
| Untitled |
No comments:
Post a Comment