Art History

scale works and expression of feelings through slashing and active brush

strokes. It exploded in New York, following World War II. The war brought

on victory of abstract and expressionistic art and the creation of the first

major original direction in the history of American art. This movement lasted

about fifteen years. This form of art was not so much a style as an idea.

Abstract expressionists were diverse individuals who had little in common,

except what they were against. Based on the freedom of individual

expression, this art form got its title because, it was abstract and expression.

Abstract meaning emphasizing shape, colour and line with no recognizable

. . .
By 1950, De Kooning had developed his own personal

aspect of abstract expressionism and he became one of the prophets of new

style, a new intensive mode of expression. He thought of women as overpowering, at

times repellent but hypnotic evocations of women as sex symbols, fertility

goddess and in the tradition of Edvard Munch, a blood sucking vampire. The first is that of

the action painters, concerned in different ways with the gestures of the brush

and the texture of the paint. Expressive meaning stressing emotions and individual

feelings more than design and formalism. An example of the first way is Willem De

Kooning. They

and their students, were the instigators of abstract expressionism. The major breakthrough into new territory was abstract

expressionism.

Willem De Kooning was born in Rotterdam Holland, in 1904, and

came to the United States in 1926, after which he soon became a close friend

of a number of artists who were to be associated with abstract expressionism.

Artists from Europe, settled in New York and began teaching. Abstract expressionism is the spontaneous assertion of the

individual. It is impossible to make comprehensive generalizations about the

movement as a style. The term Abstract Expressionism

was first used in 1919 to describe certain paintings of Kandinsky and also

found its roots in him.

Although he did not exhibit until 1948, De Kooning was a figure painter and

portraitist until 1940. Each abstract expressionist had their own

individuality. The other group consisted of the colour field

painters, concerned with the statement of an abstract sign or image in terms of

large unified colour shape or area.

Common topics in this essay:
De Kooning, War II, York School, , Abstract Expressionism, Rotterdam Holland, Artists Europe, abstract expressionism, Edvard Munch, de kooning, willem de, willem de kooning, painters concerned, Willem De,

Approximate Word count = 514
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Already a member? Click here