1. Michelle Costanza
AAH 4010-001
Formal Analysis
Contemporary artist Willem de Kooning painted Untitled XXI in 1982. De
Kooning, one of the most notable post-war abstract expressionists, is mostly known for
his abstracted female figures, but this painting from later in his career consists of entirely
abstract forms. Its size, color, and texture all contribute to an overall paradoxical effect
for the viewer: the piece is without subject but is characterized by its impression of life;
the surface is blatantly flat yet unmistakably animate.
Untitled XXI measures 6 feet 5 inches by 7 feet 4 inches and is done in oil on
canvas. A relatively new painting, it hangs in good condition, and the artist clearly allows
the surface to speak for itself. Without a discernible subject nor a title to defer to, the
painting’s colors and visual effects are perhaps not meant to represent anything or anyone
but to rather create an environment or a reaction for the viewer. The large scale of the
piece is its immediately obvious feature, and it makes for a particular viewing experience
that puts audience impression, rather than narrative, at the forefront. Large size tends to
produce an immersive effect where, if viewed closely enough, the work gives the sense of
transcending its physical boundary to go beyond the canvas or around the viewer. If the
eye cannot focus on the entire picture plane at once, the peripheral view of the painting
can extend indefinitely, and this intangible quality indeed becomes a part of the painting
itself.
The forms of the piece express a whimsical, sensual energy and an ephemeral
movement that is generated by both the direction of the brushstrokes and the color of the
paint. The surface is filled with ribbon-like strokes of vibrant royal blue and a deep red

2. that sometimes fades to a rosy tint. The ribbons curve around and encounter each other to
create the feeling that they are in the midst of dancing and swimming through a space.
The fact that these ribbons are merely flat colors arranged on canvas presents a
juxtaposition that intrigues the eye. The viewer cannot help but acknowledge that this is a
painting of paint; at the same time, they cannot help but recognize the fluidity and
spontaneity of brushstroke as real, energetic movement.
Two aspects of the forms work to enhance the impression of grace and life offered
to the viewer. First, the blank space on the plane provides room for perceived movement.
By refraining from filling the entire space with colorful ribbons, the artist essentially
allows the ones that are depicted to “breathe”—open areas prevent ribbons from being
obstructed so they can appear to extend freely. This feature also invites the viewer to
easily trace the path of movement, making it less demanding of the eye and thus more
convincing. In addition, including blank spaces gives the painting depth and the forms
gravity. Had this white space been covered with more ribbons, the flatness would be far
more staunch and the ribbons far less mobile. The emptiness urges the viewer to
distinguish between foreground and background, the virtual comparison making the
brushstrokes act in a dimensional, gliding fashion.
The other aspect that heightens Untitled XXI’s overall effect is the variation of
texture de Kooning employs. The brushstrokes have a generally smooth, silky style
about them. This is emphasized, however, by the parts that are not smooth. In instances
throughout the painting, most apparently on the left edge, ribbons appear to be rough due
to the inconsistency of paint on the brush or the relative brevity of the stroke. Containing
moments of irregularity aids the painting’s capacity to convince the viewer that they are

3. witnessing a depiction of organic movement, not simply a testament of brushwork. The
resulting asymmetry and variety of texture of the ribbons therefore cultivates
believability.
Untitled XXI by Willem de Kooning uses scale, color, space, and texture to
produce a paradoxical and consequently fascinating sight for his audience. Once the size
of the piece surrounds the viewer, its playful yet elegant strokes of contrasting color
interact to establish animation that permits the brushwork to transcend its obvious
flatness and abstractness and become something that is perceived as authentic. Deliberate
touches of emptiness lend the forms visibility and depth, while texture contributes to the
overall swiftness of the forms, compelling the viewer to believe the energy and
movement presented to them.