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Lot Essay
Two Women by Willem de Kooning is a prime example of the artist’s exploration of abstract figuration. Two nude females are depicted, each defined by a fleshy-pink tone outlined by a robust red, and rendered with de Kooning’s signature bold brushstrokes. They appear to be in a lush landscape, which de Kooning achieves through a mastery of greens and yellows.
De Kooning’s Woman series features some of the most famous depictions of the female form in contemporary art history. The paintings are the result of de Kooning’s exploration of the competing ideas of abstraction and figuration. Out of this contemplation comes a series of widely celebrated works that embrace both the figure and abstraction and provide insight into de Kooning’s fascination with his female subjects in particular: "I can't get away from the Woman. Wherever I look, I find her" (W. de Kooning, quoted in M. Stevens and A. Swan, De Kooning: An American Master, New York 2005, p. 475).
De Kooning’s Woman series features some of the most famous depictions of the female form in contemporary art history. The paintings are the result of de Kooning’s exploration of the competing ideas of abstraction and figuration. Out of this contemplation comes a series of widely celebrated works that embrace both the figure and abstraction and provide insight into de Kooning’s fascination with his female subjects in particular: "I can't get away from the Woman. Wherever I look, I find her" (W. de Kooning, quoted in M. Stevens and A. Swan, De Kooning: An American Master, New York 2005, p. 475).