The Genesis of the New York School and the Rise of Abstract Expressionism
In the decades following World War II, the United States witnessed a radical transformation in its cultural output. What Paris had represented to the "Lost Generation" of writers in the 1920s, New York became for a new generation of painters. This era saw the birth of Abstract Expressionism, a style characterized by revolutionary physical gestures, bold imagery, and rich, painterly surfaces that dismantled the prevailing European Cubist aesthetic.
At the epicenter of this movement were Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner. While Pollock’s name became synonymous with "action painting," Krasner’s role was equally vital. Unlike many of her contemporaries, such as Zelda Fitzgerald, whose identities were often subsumed by their husbands’ fame, Krasner remained a dedicated professional artist throughout her life. Critics now recognize her as one of the most significant painters of the twentieth century, an artist whose importance was frequently obscured by the "Pollock mythos" but is now being restored through academic and curatorial scrutiny.
A Chronology of Artistic Development and Education
Lee Krasner’s journey as an artist began long before her association with Pollock. A native New Yorker, she received a rigorous education at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design. Her technical foundation was exceptionally strong, allowing her to transition through various stylistic phases with confidence.
- 1930s: During the Great Depression, Krasner discovered modern art and joined the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This period was crucial for her development, as she was one of the few women employed in the art section of the government-supported project.
- Late 1930s – Early 1940s: Krasner studied under Hans Hofmann, a German expatriate who brought European modernism to New York. Hofmann’s theories on color and space profoundly influenced Krasner, though his feedback also highlighted the gendered prejudice of the era. He once famously remarked of her work, "This is so good you would not know it was done by a woman," a statement Krasner later identified as indicative of the systemic barriers women faced.
- 1941: Krasner met Jackson Pollock. At the time, Pollock was still heavily influenced by his teacher, Thomas Hart Benton, whose "American Scene" painting focused on rural, provincial themes. Krasner is widely credited with redirecting Pollock’s attention toward the modern masters, such as Matisse and Picasso.
- 1945: The couple married and moved to Springs, East Hampton, purchasing a home with a loan from collector Peggy Guggenheim.
- 1946 – 1950: Krasner produced her "Little Image" series, characterized by dense, intricate patterns that broke away from the Cubist grid.
- 1956: Jackson Pollock died in a tragic car accident, leaving Krasner to manage his estate while continuing her own evolving practice.
- 1965: Krasner received her first major retrospective at the Whitechapel Gallery in London, marking a turning point in international recognition.
The Gendered Politics of the "Irascible Eighteen"
A defining moment in the history of the New York School was the 1950 protest against the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A group of artists, later dubbed the "Irascible Eighteen," signed a petition protesting the museum’s conservative stance toward American modernism. While Pollock was a prominent signatory, Krasner was conspicuously absent.
When questioned about this omission, Krasner revealed the casual misogyny of the period’s organizers. Barnett Newman, a leading figure of the movement, had called the Pollock-Krasner household to organize the protest. Upon reaching Krasner on the phone, Newman simply asked to speak to Jackson, failing to even inform Krasner of the initiative. This exclusion was emblematic of the "patriarchal" structure of Abstract Expressionism, where women were often ignored by the very colleagues with whom they shared galleries and studio space.
The Artistic Partnership: A Symbiosis of Equals
Despite the public perception of Pollock as a "macho" figure, his private professional relationship with Krasner was one of mutual respect. Pollock treated Krasner as a serious professional peer. In their home in Springs, the two operated as comrades-in-art. Pollock was notably the only major American artist of the 1940s to marry another avant-garde artist of his generation.
Furthermore, Pollock’s work often delved into Jungian archetypes and feminine symbols—such as in his paintings The She-Wolf and Pasiphaë—reflecting an investigation into the "masculine and feminine principles" that was likely bolstered by his relationship with Krasner. Krasner, in turn, possessed a superior formal education and a deeper understanding of European modernism during their early years together. While she remained reticent about the extent of her influence on Pollock, she acknowledged that his "revelatory" style moved her as strongly as the works of Matisse.
Overcoming Adversity and the Late-Career Flourishing
The challenges Krasner faced were multifaceted: the indifference of major museums, the antagonism of fellow artists whose wives typically worked to support them, and the eventual tragedy of her husband’s death followed by years of complex litigation over his estate. Despite these hurdles, Krasner’s commitment to her craft never wavered. Even during periods of depression and insomnia, she continued to paint.
By the early 1970s, Krasner entered a prolific new phase. Her studio began filling with canvases of radiant color and large, open areas of bright white. These works, featuring floral images and swirling circular motifs, maintained the physical rhythm and powerful energy of her earlier career while signaling a fresh, independent aesthetic direction. The completion of the catalogue raisonné for Pollock’s work by Eugene Thaw and Virginia Allen in the early 1970s allowed Krasner to step back from her role as the "widow of Pollock" and return her full focus to being "Lee Krasner the painter."
Analysis of Broader Impact and Implications
The delayed recognition of Lee Krasner serves as a critical case study in the sociology of art. For decades, the "American-type painting" championed by critics like Clement Greenberg emphasized a heroic, masculine narrative that often excluded female practitioners. Krasner herself expressed disdain for such labels, arguing that "Art is art no matter where it is" and rejecting the provincialism of nationalistic or gendered slogans.
The re-evaluation of Krasner’s work has broader implications for how art history is recorded:
- Institutional Accountability: The failure of institutions like the Whitney and the Metropolitan Museum to recognize Krasner in the 1940s and 50s highlights the necessity for modern curators to actively deconstruct historical biases.
- The Evolution of the Art Market: The transition from the "vitality and warmth" of the 1950s art scene to the commercialized "mushrooming" of the 1960s and 70s changed how artists achieved fame. Krasner’s slow-burn success contrasts with the overnight museum shows granted to younger artists in later decades.
- Feminist Art History: While Krasner was sympathetic to the feminist movements of the 1970s, she remained steadfast in her belief that her work should be judged on its aesthetic merits rather than as "feminine subject matter."
Today, Lee Krasner is increasingly viewed not as a satellite to Pollock’s sun, but as a primary star in the Abstract Expressionist firmament. Her life in Springs, surrounded by the organic forms of the marshes and the shells and rocks that inspired her circling motifs, remains a testament to a visionary who struck out on an unknown path. As the art world continues to honor its heroines with the same fervor once reserved for its heroes, Krasner stands as a pioneer of self-reliance and artistic integrity. Her legacy is defined not by her marriage, but by her enduring contribution to the language of modern abstraction.
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