This autumn, the Rijksmuseum will host a landmark exhibition dedicated to Willem de Kooning, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. 2026 marks 100 years since de Kooning left Rotterdam to pursue a new life in New York where he later became a leading figure of the New York School, following his breakthrough in the late 1940s. His work is often associated with Abstract Expressionism, despite his resistance to being categorised, and drawing was fundamental to his artistic practice. The exhibition will feature more than 120 of his drawn works, alongside his most celebrated paintings and sculptures.