Figure

1949

Dating: Exact year
Held at: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Medium: oil on cardboard
Dimensions: Framed: 55 x 44.5 x 8 cm (21 5/8 x 17 1/2 x 3 1/8 in.); Unframed: 46.7 x 36.8 cm (18 3/8 x 14 1/2 in.)
Collection no.: 1964.1
Attribution: By the artist

About this artwork

Figure — Willem de Kooning. 1949.

Medium: oil on cardboard. Dimensions: Framed: 55 x 44.5 x 8 cm (21 5/8 x 17 1/2 x 3 1/8 in.); Unframed: 46.7 x 36.8 cm (18 3/8 x 14 1/2 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

By using rough, hasty brushstrokes, de Kooning gives us a glimpse into his process. He painted many women during the 1940s and 1950s, each time emphasizing the action of painting in his depictions of the female form.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.

Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.

Artwork sources