The de Kooning Masterpiece Made in an Hour

In this episode of Expert Voices, join Prints & Multiples specialist John Maher in an exploration of Litho #1 (Waves #1), a masterpiece of printmaking by Willem de Kooning. A rare example of de Kooning’s early print work, Waves #1 comes from an edition of only 12 prints that has not been seen at auction in over two decades. De Kooning’s composition was crafted amid a burst of spontaneity and combines the immediacy of the single pass lithograph with the powerful brushstrokes that Abstract Expressionism is known for. While most known for his brightly colored canvases, this work reinforces De Kooning’s belief that “sometimes there’s more light in black and white”.