LEE KRASNER (1908-1984)










Provenance
Marlborough GalleryPrivate Collection, acquired from the above, c. 1970
Private Collection
Literature
Landau, Ellen G., Lee Krasner: A Catalogue Raisonné, New York: Abrams, 1995, p. 254, illus. 511Price250,000
Cataloged as "gouache on paper," the patent transparency in works like “Water No. 5” suggests Krasner used traditional watercolor techniques to create the denser, opaque effects often associated with gouache. Artists can achieve such opacity in watercolor by increasing the pigment-to-water ratio, layering translucent washes for depth, or using pigments naturally prone to granulation and saturation. Krasner's choice of Howell paper, known for its medium-to-rough "tooth," also enhanced these effects, as its texture scatters light to give pigments a more solid appearance. These techniques demonstrate Krasner's mastery of her materials and her intuitive, practical approach to experimentation, allowing her to expand the expressive possibilities of watercolor without relying solely on gouache.
Krasner was not alone in finding inspiration in the Long Island landscape. Her neighbor, Willem de Kooning, similarly responded to the shoreline's vitality, translating its undulating rhythms into his work of the 1960s. For Krasner, however, the "Water" series lacks figurative references, resting solely on her ability to capture nature’s transformative energy through abstraction. With "Water No. 5", Krasner achieved a profound synthesis of technique and vision, merging the meditative power of her surroundings with the dynamic energy of her artistic practice, underscoring her position as a pioneering force in postwar American art.