Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal drawing by Willem de Kooning. It dates from 1968 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1968, *Untitled* is a charcoal drawing on transparentized paper by Willem de Kooning, a key figure in the New York School of abstract expressionism.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a nude figure in a relaxed pose, with expressive facial and bodily gestures. The subject's tilted head, open mouth, and averted eyes convey a sense of introspection or distraction.
Technique & Style
De Kooning's use of charcoal emphasizes dynamic mark-making, with loose, bold lines and gestural strokes that evoke spontaneity and energy. The transparentized paper enhances the work's depth and texture.
History & Provenance
Part of de Kooning's later practice, this work aligns with the gestural abstraction characteristic of the post-WWII New York School movement, alongside artists like Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner.
Context
*Untitled* reflects de Kooning's exploration of abstract expressionist principles, prioritizing the process of creation over representational accuracy, yet here applied to a figurative subject.
Legacy
This drawing contributes to de Kooning's legacy in exploring the interplay between figuration and abstraction within the abstract expressionist movement.
Artist & collection
Artist
Willem de Kooning ( də KOO-ning, Dutch: ; April 24, 1904 – March 19, 1997) was a Dutch-American abstract expressionist artist.
