Elaine de Kooning was one of the sharpest critics writing about painting in postwar New York, and also one of its better painters, a combination that made her essential to the Abstract Expressionist scene and almost invisible within its official history. Born Elaine Marie Catherine Fried in Brooklyn in 1918[1], she married Willem de Kooning in 1943[1] and entered a world that had little interest in what she might produce herself.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1918–1989, American[1]
- Movement
- [1]
- Works held in
- 7 museums
- Wikipedia
- View article
Biography
She made portraits, mostly. In an era when portraiture was considered retrograde by the Abstract Expressionists who surrounded her, Agar pursued it with increasing conviction, bringing the gestural speed and chromatic ambition of the New York school to subjects as various as Harold Rosenberg, Allen Ginsberg, Robert De Niro Sr., and Pelé. Her most famous commission came in 1962[1] when she was asked to paint John F. Kennedy, producing a cycle of studies from life at Palm Beach and Hyannis Port that Kennedy did not live to see finished.
Parallel to her studio practice, she wrote prolifically for Art News throughout the 1950s. Her 1956[1] parody piece "Pure Paints a Picture" circulated widely, skewering the solemnity with which Abstract Expressionism[1] had begun to regard itself. She was also a committed teacher, and her classes at the University of Georgia and the University of New Mexico drew students who remembered her energy as exceptional.
She separated from Willem in the 1950s though the marriage was never legally dissolved. She died in Southampton, New York, in 1989[1]. Her reputation has been steadily reappraised since, with critics noting how much of the scene she helped to define while being written out of its mythology.
Timeline
- 1918Born Elaine Marie Catherine Fried in Brooklyn.
- 1943Married Willem de Kooning.
- 1950Wrote prolifically for Art News throughout the decade.
- 1956Wrote the parody piece "Pure Paints a Picture".
- 1962Commissioned to paint John F. Kennedy, producing studies at Palm Beach and Hyannis Port.
- 1962Painted portraits of Harold Rosenberg, Allen Ginsberg, and Robert De Niro Sr.
- 1962Painted a portrait of Pelé.
- 1989Died in Southampton, New York.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did Elaine de Kooning die?
Elaine de Kooning died in Southampton, New York, in 1989[1].What is Elaine de Kooning known for?
Elaine de Kooning is known for her portraits, which she continued to create despite portraiture being considered outdated by many Abstract Expressionists. She brought the gestural style and colour of the New York school to portraits of figures such as Harold Rosenberg, Allen Ginsberg, Robert De Niro Sr., and Pelé. In 1962[1], she received a commission to paint John F. Kennedy.What was Elaine de Kooning's art style?
Elaine de Kooning's art style involved bringing the gestural speed and chromatic ambition of the New York school to portraiture. She worked primarily with portraits, even though the Abstract Expressionists surrounding her considered the genre to be retrograde. Her style is associated with Abstract Expressionism[1].When did Elaine de Kooning die?
Elaine de Kooning died in 1989[1] at the age of 71.Who was Elaine de Kooning?
Elaine de Kooning was a painter and art critic prominent in the Abstract Expressionist scene in postwar New York. She was married to Willem de Kooning in 1943[1] and moved in circles that initially overshadowed her own artistic endeavours. Later in life, de Kooning became a committed teacher at the University of Georgia and the University of New Mexico.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Elaine de Kooning.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Elaine de Kooning Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Jed Perl, Art in America 1945-1970 Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-31. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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