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Willem de Kooning: Paintings
This beautiful book presents a retrospective of eighty of Willem de Kooning's finest paintings and painted works on paper. The book reassesses de Kooning's critical status as one of America's greatest and most influential artists, examines the complexity of his painting techniques, and places him in the context of other artists and art movements of his era. The book serves as the catalogue for a major exhibition of de Kooning's work presented at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and the Tate Gallery in London.
- GenresArt
232 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1994
70 people want to read
About the author
David Sylvester
149 books30 followersAnthony David Bernard Sylvester CBE, (21 September 1924; London – 19 June 2001; London) was a British art critic and curator. During a long career David Sylvester was influential in promoting modern art in Britain, in particular the work of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon.
Born into a well connected north-London Jewish family, Sylvester had trouble as a student at University College School and was thrown out of the family home. He wrote for the paper Tribune and went to Paris in 1947 where he met Alberto Giacometti one of the strongest influences on him. Though writing for a range of publications as a critic including The Observer and New Statesman the main thrust of his writing that direct response to the artwork was most important remained constant. Sylvester is credited with coining the term kitchen sink originally to describe a strand of post-war British painting typified by John Bratby. Sylvester used the phrase negatively but it was widely applied to other art forms including literature and theatre. During the 1950s Sylvester worked with Henry Moore, Freud and Bacon but also supported Richard Hamilton and the other 'Young Turks' of British pop art. This led him to become a prominent media figure in the 1960s. During the 1960s and 70s Sylvester occupied a number of roles at the Arts Council of Great Britain serving on advisory panels and on the main panel. In 1969 he curated a Renoir exhibition at the Hayward Gallery for which he was assisted by a young Nicholas Serota.
Born into a well connected north-London Jewish family, Sylvester had trouble as a student at University College School and was thrown out of the family home. He wrote for the paper Tribune and went to Paris in 1947 where he met Alberto Giacometti one of the strongest influences on him. Though writing for a range of publications as a critic including The Observer and New Statesman the main thrust of his writing that direct response to the artwork was most important remained constant. Sylvester is credited with coining the term kitchen sink originally to describe a strand of post-war British painting typified by John Bratby. Sylvester used the phrase negatively but it was widely applied to other art forms including literature and theatre. During the 1950s Sylvester worked with Henry Moore, Freud and Bacon but also supported Richard Hamilton and the other 'Young Turks' of British pop art. This led him to become a prominent media figure in the 1960s. During the 1960s and 70s Sylvester occupied a number of roles at the Arts Council of Great Britain serving on advisory panels and on the main panel. In 1969 he curated a Renoir exhibition at the Hayward Gallery for which he was assisted by a young Nicholas Serota.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 20, 2012
de Kooning is my great Hero.
His is such a beautiful story. Best of the first wave of New York School painters, I say.
His is such a beautiful story. Best of the first wave of New York School painters, I say.
July 25, 2017
brilliant writing, darkening imagery. kooning is the only abstractionist i care about... (i guess)
September 27, 2011
4 stars given on basis of reproductions of artworks only. This exhibit was amazing and hypnotic in its beauty and de Kooning's eye for color and execution of painting. I recommend that everyone try to get to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for its new retrospective of de Kooning's work going on now til at least December pf 2011.
November 29, 2007
Beautiful,beautiful, beautiful. I don't care if he loved women, hated women or both. de Kooning knew how to make love with a paintbrush.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews