Pech-Merle
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
color sugarlift and spitbite aquatint on Arches 88 paper
Dimensions
image: 25.1 x 25.4 cm (9 7/8 x 10 in.) sheet: 39.4 x 41 cm (15 1/2 x 16 1/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Kathan Brown
Accession Number
1998.40.297
Art Historical Context
Elaine de Kooning's *Pech-Merle* (1985) is a vibrant color print that draws inspiration from the prehistoric cave paintings of Pech Merle in France's Lot region, where 25,000-year-old murals of spotted horses and handprints captivate visitors today. As a prominent Abstract Expressionist and wife of Willem de Kooning Elaine bridged gestural abstraction with figurative elements throughout her career. This late work reflects her fascination with ancient art's raw energy, translating it into a modern print medium just four years before her death in 1989. Crafted as a color sugarlift and spitbite ...