Willem de Kooning at the Rijksmuseum: 120 Works in Amsterdam

Opening on 9 October 2026, Willem de Kooning at Work brings more than 120 works to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, placing the artist’s drawings at the centre of a retrospective spanning more than 65 years.

Willem de Kooning at the Rijksmuseum: What to See

The Rijksmuseum’s new exhibition examines a less familiar aspect of Willem de Kooning’s practice: drawing not simply as preparation for painting, but as a continuous process of experimentation. Developed with the Art Institute of Chicago and The Willem de Kooning Foundation, the exhibition follows the Dutch-born artist’s development from his early training in Rotterdam to his later work in the United States.

The selection includes drawings from international collections alongside paintings and sculptures. Highlights include Excavation (1950), on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago, and Pink Angels (c. 1945). The works trace recurring interests in the human figure and landscape, revealing how de Kooning repeatedly revised forms and techniques across different media.

Two major paintings, Woman I (1950–52) and Woman and Bicycle (1952–53), will be displayed separately in the Rijksmuseum’s Gallery of Honour, near Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. Their placement brings de Kooning’s post-war American art into direct conversation with the Dutch painting tradition.

Exhibition dates and visitor information

The exhibition runs from 9 October 2026 to 17 January 2027. Admission for adults is €25, while visitors aged 18 and under enter free. The Rijksmuseum opens daily from 09:00 to 17:00; advance booking is recommended.

For an Amsterdam cultural itinerary, the exhibition provides a focused reason to return to the Rijksmuseum’s temporary programme, particularly for visitors interested in the working process behind modern painting.