Willem de Kooning was born in 1904 in the Netherlands. He moved to the United States (as a stow-away) in 1926 where he worked initially as a housepainter and decorator. Following a move to New York, though, de Kooning became part of the art scene, making friends with, amongst others, Arshile Gorky and Robert Motherwell. His work refelected the influence of these artists but also developed beyond them and de Kooning soon became one of the major exponents of Abstract Expressionism. (His 1948 show established his reputation). In the late 1950's de Kooning moved to Long Island, New York, a rural location that significantly impacted his painting from that point forward.

Above: Untitled, de Kooning, 1979