In 1950, Willem de Kooning began a major series of paintings representing women. Highly distinctive, it contrasted sharply with the pure abstraction prevalent in the United States, where the Dutch-born De Kooning was based. The series was also controversial in often rendering the female figures as monstrous and sexualised. This drawing depicts at least two female figures, one naked and the other wearing a corset. The artist experimented with a wide range of pencil
marks, adding and erasing at will, to create a complex interplay of figures and abstracted forms.

sold by the artist, courtesy of Xavier Fourcade Inc [label on verso of frame], at The Courtauld Auction, A sale of 20th Century Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture in aid of the Courtauld Institute of Art Fund, London, 23rd March 1987 lot 22 [catalogue in file]; purchased there by Leslie Waddington and purchased from the Waddington Galleries, London, by Howard Karshan (1933-2017), 14 April 1987 [stock card in file]; Promised gift by Linda Karshan in memory of her husband, Howard Karshan. On long-term loan to The Courtauld Gallery, London.

Modern Drawings: The Karshan Gift, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 19/11/2021-09/01/2022

de Kooning drawings/sculptures, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 10/03/1974-21/04/1974; The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 07/06/1974-21/07/1974; The Phillips Collection, Washington, 14/09/1974-27/10/1974; Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, 03/12/1974-19/01/1975; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 26/02/1975-01/04/1975

Modern Drawings: The Karshan Gift, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 20 Nov. 2021 - 9 Jan. 2022
cat. no. 10
Fig. p. pp. 71 (recto), 72 (verso)

de Kooning Drawings/Sculptures, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Washington and others, 1974-75
cat. no. 77
Fig. p. 53 (p. or fig. no.?)

Inscription: Recto: upper left corner, graphite, circled: “2”; lower centre, graphite, signed: “de Kooning”; right lower edge, black ink: illegible word, currently completely hidden under mount. Verso: right centre, graphite: “legs in / black and yellow”; upper right, graphite: illegible word crossed out. Frame, Verso: upper left, graphite: “572”; upper right, graphite: “WEB 16920 / [scribble - a name?]”; left lower edge, printed directly on frame, covered and crossed out in graphite: “frame by B[…]”; lower left corner, stamped directly on frame, covered by a label and crossed out in graphite: “[…]7 EAST 83RD ST / N.Y. 28 YU 3-48[…]”.

Label: Frame, Verso: Courtauld label applied upper left; black ink stamped directly on frame, mostly obscured/crossed out with thick black ink: “FRA[…] / PL[…]S / […] NO[…]PE”; upper centre, black ink printed on white label with a barcode: “TMP 2013 013.18 / De Kooning, Willem, 1904- / 1997. / Studies of Women [drawing]”; upper centre, typewritten on a now-browned label: “William DE KOONING 1954 c / Studies of Women / 8 3/16 x 9 1/8 ins / 20.8 x 23.2 cms / pencil on paper / WG B16920 1100 / Waddington Galleries Ltd.”; right centre, red printed on now-browned label, the number added in graphite, mostly abraded: “[…]W YORK /Lot No. / 3440”; left centre, black ink printed on now-browned label, filled in with a typewriter: “Waddington Galleries Ltd / 11 Cork Street, London W1X 1PD / Title Stuides of Women c. 1954 / pencil on paper 8 1/8 x 9 1/8 ins/20.8 x 23.2 cms / Artist William de Kooning / Owner Mr Howard Karshan”; right centre, black in printed on white label: “WALKER ART CENTER / dk:77 Willem de Kooning / STUDIES OF WOMEN / ca 1954 / pencil, pastel / 8 ¼ x 9 ¼ ” / Courtesy Fourcade, Droll Inc., New York [this name crossed out in blue ink and added below in blue ink: “the artist”] / WILLEM DE KOONING: DRAWINGS AND SCULPTURES / VINELAND PLACE MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA 55403 / Walker Art Center 10 March – 21 April 1974 / The National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa 7 June – 21 July 1974 / The Phillips Collection 14 Sept – 27 Oct 1974 / Albright-Knox Art Gallery 3 Dec – 19 Jan 1975 / The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 21 Feb – 6 April 1975”; lower left, black ink printed on white label with image of drawing: “TMP 2013-013.18 / Willem De Kooning / Studies of Women, c. / 1954 / pencil and pastel, 8 3/16 x / 9 1/8 in.”; lower centre, typewritten on now-browned label: “FOURCADE, DROLL / 36 East 75th Street, New York, N.Y. 10021 / Willem de KOONING - / STUDIES OF WOMEN / ca. 1954 / 8 3/16 x 9 1/8” / Pencil and crayon on paper. / FDX D de Kooning 572”.