Yuskavage and de Kooning Paint Troubling Nudes Photos

De Kooning and Lisa Yuskavage portray a woman-hating world.

Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (left); Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

By Blake GopnikOct 12, 2011

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-intro_pucpyz — Woman, painted in 1950 by Willem de Kooning, from his survey at the Museum of Modern Art, next to Afternoon Feeding, a new painting by Lisa Yuskavage from her solo show at David Zwirner gallery in New York .

De Kooning and Yuskavage—artists two generations and a gender apart, both showing now in New York and both offering up painful pictures of women. Rather than dismiss them as simple woman-haters, writes Daily Beast art critic Blake Gopnik, we ought to see what their paintings tell us about the misogyny we all live with.
Courtesy of The Museum of Modern Art, New York (left); Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-01_p7qfwx — Lisa Yuskavage, Afternoon Feeding (2011). Oil on linen, 86" x 71".
Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-04_dkyaeb — Willem de Kooning, Woman I (1950-52). Oil on canvas, 6' 3 7/8" x 58". The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

The Museum of Modern Art, New York / The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-10_hkszj8 — Lisa Yuskavage, The Mound (2011). Oil on linen, 84" x 72".

Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-02_nrppzd — Willem de Kooning, Pink Angels (c. 1945). Oil and charcoal on canvas, 52" x 40". Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles.

Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles / The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-06_xl8t0d — Willem de Kooning, Woman (1951). Charcoal and pastel on paper, 21 1/2" x 16". Private collection.
Private collection / The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-07_idzhhj — Lisa Yuskavage, Fireplace, (2010). Oil on linen, 77 1/4" x 65".

Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-05_gharfo — Lisa Yuskavage, Edge of Towners (2011). Oil on linen, 55" x 66".
Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-08_odtw1e — Willem de Kooking, Woman (1950). Oil, cut and pasted paper on cardboard, 14 3/4" x 11 5/8" . The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. From the Collection of Thomas B. Hess / The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

galleries/2011/10/12/yuskavage-and-de-kooning-paint-troubling-nudes-photos/paintings-women-lewd-09_fcep4f — Lisa Yuskavage, Outskirts (2011). Oil on linen, 86" x 120".
Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York

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