Artist
Willem de KooningAmerican, born Netherlands, 1904–1997
CultureAmerican
Titles
- Back Porch
Date1975
PlaceNew York, United States
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions70 × 80 1/8 in. (177.8 × 203.5 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Caroline Wiess Law
Object number2004.10
Current Location
The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building
Gallery 203
On view
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Department
Modern and Contemporary ArtObject Type
of the early innovators among the Abstract
Expressionists. However, his ongoing engagement with the figure and landscape set him
apart from most of his contemporaries, as
the natural and sensual world remained a
touchstone for even his most abstract compositions. Back Porch exemplifies the lush
and richly hued paintings that dominated
his late work, reflecting the dappled light,
shifting winds, and brilliant colors of eastern
Long Island, where he had made his home.
Provenance[Xavier Fourcade Gallery, New York, 1976–February 1977]; purchased by Caroline Wiess Law, Houston, February 1977, until d. 2003; bequeathed to MFAH, 2004.
Exhibition History"De Kooning–New Works, Paintings and Sculptures," Xavier Fourcade, Inc., New York, October 25–December 6, 1975; traveled to Seattle Art Museum, February 4–March 14, 1976.
"Three Decades of American Art Selected by the Whitney Museum," Seibu Museum of Art, Tokyo, June 18–July 20, 1976.
"De Kooning: Lithographs, Sculpture and Painting," University Art Museum, University of Texas at Austin, October 17–November 28, 1976.
"De Kooning–Recent Works," Blaffer Gallery, University of Houston; January 15–February 20, 1977.
"Modern and Contemporary Art: Spotlight on the Collection," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Upper Brown Pavilion, February 7–August 27, 2000.
"A Spirited Vision: Highlights of the Bequest of Caroline Wiess Law to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, February 22–April 25, 2004.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Back label: "XAVIER FOURCADE, INC. / ...N. Y. / Willem de Kooning / 'BACK PORCH' / ...FDX P de Kooning 1216"
Cataloguing data may change with further research.
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