WILLEM DE KOONING

24 April 1904, Rotterdam, Holland

19 March 1997, Long Island, USA

He left the school at the age of 12 and worked as a house-painter apprentice. At the same time he went to evening art classes at the Rotterdam Art School where he learned the principles adopted by the De Stijl movement.

During one visit to Belgium he was greatly impressed by the work of the Flemish Expressionists.

In 1926  he went to the United States where he continue working as a house painter and sign-painter.

Only after 10 years he exposed for the first time.

De Kooning and Pollock were the two outstanding figures in abstract Expressionism in America. This movement, which began as a reaction against Mondrian and Neo Plasticism, exerced a great influence on the younger generation.

"Woman II", 1940

Self portrait in the wilderness, 1947

 "Seated figure", 1940

"Two women", 1950

"Haelyn Y, after Rubens"

Marilyn Monroe, 1954

"Two women in the country", 1957

 "Woman", 1950

"Standing man", 1942

"Two women", 1947

"Women with bicycle"