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Willem de Kooning — Women in Water
Willem de Kooning

Women in Water

1971

This gestural abstraction depicts a figure with an upturned face rendered in loose, expressive brushwork. Warm flesh tones and ochres define the face and neck, while bold strokes of cobalt blue and red energize the lower composition. The artist employs a dynamic interplay of figuration and abstraction, with organic forms suggesting a reclining or floating female figure. Paint is applied with characteristic urgency and spontaneity, creating a sense of movement and emotional intensity. The work exemplifies the artist's mature approach to the female form as a vehicle for painterly exploration.

Medium
oil on paper laid down on canvas
Overall

Notes

Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's, sale on 2026-05-15.

🔨 Auction Lot

Contemporary Day Auction

May 15, 2026

Estimate: $200,000$300,000

For Sale

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Spotted works by Willem de Kooning

About this work

Willem de Kooning, Women in Water, 1971

This gestural abstraction depicts a figure with an upturned face rendered in loose, expressive brushwork. Warm flesh tones and ochres define the face and neck, while bold strokes of cobalt blue and red energize the lower composition. The artist employs a dynamic interplay of figuration and abstraction, with organic forms suggesting a reclining or floating female figure. Paint is applied with characteristic urgency and spontaneity, creating a sense of movement and emotional intensity. The work exemplifies the artist's mature approach to the female form as a vehicle for painterly exploration.

Medium
oil on paper laid down on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 104.8 x 74.9 cm
Year
1971
Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Expressionist Brushwork, Gestural Marks, Figurative Abstraction, 1970s Modern, Oil On Paper, Female Figure, Abstract Expressionism, Gestural Abstraction, Contemporary Painting, Reclining Woman

More works by Willem de Kooning

Collected by

Art Institute of Chicago