Italian Summer #28 1970

Elaine de Kooning made this painting, Italian Summer #28, with watercolor and ink. She uses greens, blues, and yellows applied in horizontal strokes with some figurative forms coming into being, here and there. I can just picture Elaine in Italy, maybe in a slightly crumpled linen shirt, squinting at the sun, and then splashing down what she sees and feels. The paint is super thin, so you know she worked fast, letting the colors run and blend right on the paper. Look at the way she drags the brush—you can almost feel the speed and the confidence. It’s like she’s saying, “I don’t need to fuss, I know what I’m doing.” These quick marks aren't overworked, each communicating just the right amount of feeling. This reminds me of other spontaneous painters like Joan Mitchell, who also captured fleeting moments in a bold way. Artists like Elaine are always showing us new ways of seeing. The beauty of painting is that it is like a container for uncertainty—it isn't about being fixed or perfect. But, it's a record of someone's experience, a little piece of their world.