art

March 19, 2026

‘Absolutely transformative’: Willem de Kooning exhibition uncovers raw intensity of early work

A Princeton University Art Museum show captures the urgent power of the iconic abstract expressionist’s 1945-50 breakthrough years

‘Absolutely transformative’: Willem de Kooning exhibition uncovers raw intensity of early work

TL;DR

  • The "Willem de Kooning: The Breakthrough Years, 1945-50" exhibition at Princeton University Art Museum showcases a crucial period in the artist's development.
  • The exhibition features 18 paintings from 1945-50, highlighting de Kooning's transition between figuration and abstraction.
  • De Kooning's first solo exhibition in 1948 at Charles Egan Gallery was a major success, launching his career.
  • Art critic Clement Greenberg and de Kooning's wife, Elaine, played significant roles in promoting his work and career.
  • The exhibition's palette is notably restricted, with blacks and tans dominating, enhancing the intensity of the works.
  • This period marked de Kooning's emergence as a leader of the New York School and his development of a rivalry with Jackson Pollock.
  • De Kooning's later work, particularly his "woman paintings," marked a return to figuration and evoked strong reactions from peers like Pollock and admirers like Bob Dylan.

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