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A Way of Living

The Art of Willem de Kooning
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( 28 ratings, 7 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Way of Living is a comprehensive and richly illustrated monograph on Willem de Kooning, a pivotal figure in twentieth-century Abstract Expressionism. It explores his major works, including his provocative 'Woman' paintings, alongside preparatory sketches and drawings. The book intertwines de Kooning's life and art, offering insight into his career through an illustrated chronology and archival photos that place his work within a broad art-historical context.
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Format: Hardback
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Ideal for art enthusiasts, students, and collectors interested in Abstract Expressionism and twentieth-century art, as well as readers seeking a deep and visually engaging study of Willem de Kooning's legacy.

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The best-selling and critically acclaimed monograph on one of the most influential painters of the twentieth century

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The bestselling and critically acclaimed monograph on one of the most influential painters of the twentieth century.

Willem de Kooning was a leading exponent of Abstract Expressionism. MoMA's 2011 de Kooning retrospective drew record crowds, and his prodigious achievements continue to provoke and inspire subsequent generations of artists such as Cecily Brown, Rebecca Warren, and Jonathan Lasker.

This is the most wide-ranging and comprehensive monograph available on this artist. Sumptuously illustrated and produced, the book encompasses his major works and periods, including his controversial Woman paintings, as well as a wealth of accompanying sketches and preparatory drawings.

An illustrated chronology maps de Kooning's life, career, and work, with photographs from the artist's archive interspersed throughout the book, enriching the reader's understanding of the wider art-historical context of his paintings. Judith Zilczer's critically acclaimed monograph is an essential addition to the libraries of a new audience of readers and de Kooning enthusiasts, offering an unprecedented and compelling examination of his body of work.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised for its lyrical and insightful approach, the book connects de Kooning's art and life with clarity and empathy. Kerry Brougher, interim director at the Hirshhorn Museum, calls it essential for understanding the artist's innovations, while the Financial Times UK highlights the book as a foremost overview of an influential and still controversial artist. The monograph is noted for its accessible yet incisive scholarship, appealing to both new and seasoned admirers of de Kooning.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781838666552

Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 19 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Phaidon Press Ltd

Illustration: 300 Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 330.0mm

Height: 302.0mm

Weight: 2860g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Judith Zilczer, Curator Emerita of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, organized more than two dozen exhibitions in her twenty-nine years at the museum, where she served as Historian, Curator of Paintings, and Acting Chief Curator. Her exhibition publications include Willem de Kooning from the Hirshhorn Museum Collection (1993), Richard Lindner: Paintings and Watercolors, 1948-1977 (1996), and Visual Music: Synaesthesia in Art and Music Since 1900 (2005). A 1975 graduate of the doctoral program of the University of Delaware, she has received numerous awards, including the 2006 George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award of the Art Libraries Society of North America. Dr Zilczer has written and lectured widely on modern and contemporary art and is recognized as the leading authority on the art of Willem de Kooning.

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