Two Figures, 1973

Willem de Kooning was a Dutch-born painter who worked in the abstract expressionist style and was counted as a member of the New York School, alongside luminaries such as Jackson Pollock and Arshile Gorky, his mentor. His style fused strong elements of surrealism, cubism, and expressionism.Though Willem de Kooning is considered an abstract expressionist, and built his reputation beginning with a series of abstract works, he disliked the constraints of style labels and never gave up the representation of the human figure. In the 1950s, he began his most famous series, Women, which reveals a definite Picasso influence.Woman I, probably Willem de Kooning's most well-known piece, is a very aggressive work, depicting a woman as a fierce and erotic figure, very much in opposition to the stereotype of submissive housewife that was prominent in the 50s. The violent brushstrokes and sense of incompletion are a fine example of what is termed "action painting", while the fading of the into the abstract background highlights Willem de Kooning’s lasting examination of the relationship between figure and ground. (Artist website)