ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM: WORKS ON

Most abstract expressionists are best known for their large-scale paintings and sculptures. This book presents a more intimate view of the work of such artists as de Kooning, Rothko, Pollock, and Motherwell by exploring their smaller works on paper. These less well-known pieces help explain their more famous counterparts. The details and nuance of the works are visible in the well-executed reproductions. The Metropolitan Museum's assistant curator of 20th-century art has written an interesting and informative essay about the importance of drawing in an artists' oeuvre that is an excellent accompaniment to the book's visual elements.