By the mid-1970s, Willem de Kooning had already secured his place in art history. Yet Untitled III (1975) reveals an artist still pushing forward—toward a language that feels lighter, more fluid, and unexpectedly radiant. Painted after his move to East Hampton, the work channels the surrounding landscape—its light, water, and atmosphere—into sweeping, liquid gestures. Here, de Kooning distills decades of experimentation into something that feels both resolved and entirely new.
Hints of the human figure emerge and dissolve within these luminous strokes, echoing motifs that had defined his practice for years while opening the door to something freer and more intuitive. The result is a painting that seems almost in motion—its surface glistening, as if still wet. Untitled III stands as a powerful testament to late-career reinvention, where mastery gives way to a new kind of freedom.
Untitled III (1975) will be offered in Sotheby’s Now & Contemporary Evening Auction, presented by CELINE, taking place live in New York on 14 May 2026.
