East Hampton, Pro Sports, and the Separation

A party the de Koonings attended at the home of Fritz Hensler in 1952 was an alcohol-fueled example of Artists Behaving Badly—increasingly common as the decade progressed. During the summers of 1952 and 1953, the de Koonings were guests of art dealer Leo Castelli and his wife in East Hampton. Bill’s fierce-looking Woman paintings, shown in 1953, embroiled Elaine in controversy. In spring 1954, she had her first one-person show, at the Stable Gallery—portraits and paintings of basketball games, based on games at Madison Square Garden, photos in tabloid newspapers, and compositions from Old Master paintings. Although she had long lived apart from Bill, the birth of his daughter with Joan Ward marked a turning point in the marriage. The de Koonings separated in 1957. The brooding, largely abstract paintings she showed at Tibor de Nagy Gallery that November seemed to reflect her state of mind.