Willem de Kooning
The Life of Willem de Kooning Rotterdam, 1904. The air in the Netherlands carries the weight of a family in transition. Willem de Kooning enters the world on April 24, born to Leendert de Kooning and Cornelia Nobel. His early years are defined by a familial split, a divorce that leaves a sense of restless searching in its wake. This internal displacement follows him across the Atlantic. In 1926, he arrives in America not as a traveler…
The Lifeline
Scroll through Willem de Kooning's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups Willem de Kooning's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.