Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Willem de Kooning: A renowned 20th-century painter. He was born in the Netherlands but became a naturalized American citizen and was a central figure in the Abstract Expressionist art movement.

Usage

• Proper noun:
  • Willem de Kooning is often mentioned alongside artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
  • The museum is hosting a major retrospective of Willem de Kooning's work.
  • Her painting style shows a clear influence from Willem de Kooning.

Advanced Usage

• "de Kooning-esque": (adjective) Describing artwork that resembles or is influenced by the style of Willem de Kooning, often characterized by vigorous, gestural brushwork and fragmented figures.
  • The artist's early, chaotic portraits were distinctly de Kooning-esque.

Variants and Related Words

• De Kooning: A common shortened reference to the artist.
  • The auction featured an early drawing by De Kooning.
• Abstract Expressionism: (noun) The post-World War II art movement with which Willem de Kooning is most closely associated.

Synonyms

• Artist
• Painter
• Abstract Expressionist

Related Phrases

• The New York School: Refers to the group of poets, painters, dancers, and musicians active in the 1950s-1960s in New York City, which included Willem de Kooning.

Noun

1. United States painter (born in the Netherlands) who was a leading American exponent of abstract expressionism (1904-1997)