In the 1940s, Willem de Kooning's art was pivotal in shaping the Abstract Expressionist movement, marking a period where his experimentation with both figurative and abstract elements began to converge into a distinctive style that would define his career. During this decade, de Kooning embarked on a journey that saw him oscillating between the abstract and the representational, pushing the boundaries of both to explore new artistic territories. De Kooning's work in the late 1940s, such as the "Black and White" series, exemplifies his innovative use of oil and enamel sign paint to create dense, complex compositions that straddle the line between abstraction and figuration. He began these paintings by transferring segments of figurative drawings onto canvas, then layering them with paint, allowing the forms to emerge from and recede into the background, creating a dynamic interplay between figure and ground. This process underscored de Kooning's belief that "even abstract shapes must have a likeness," a principle that guided his approach to abstraction​ (MoMA)​. In 1948, for example, de Kooning's "Painting" employed oil and enamel sign paint to forge an abstract scene brimming with tensile energy, where black forms outlined in white evoke both the human body and alphabetical characters, suggesting familiarity without complete legibility. This piece, indicative of his black-and-white abstractions, reveals de Kooning's masterful manipulation of paint to achieve a rich textural diversity, demonstrating a powerful economy of means even within a constrained color palette​ (MoMA)​. Additionally, the development process behind works such as "Town Square" (1949) highlights de Kooning's methodical approach to composition, starting with detailed, methodical drawing then layering paint to revise the forms on the canvas. This technique facilitated a freedom of expression and improvisation within carefully composed structures. By adjusting the density and disposition of planar shapes, de Kooning explored the spatial dynamics within his paintings, moving between more crowded and open compositions to create a sense of depth and layered complexity​ (Frisson Art Collection)​. The 1940s were a transformative period for de Kooning, marked by his deepening exploration into the abstract capabilities of paint and form, while still hinting at the figurative origins of his compositions. Through these works, de Kooning laid the groundwork for his future explorations in Abstract Expressionism, asserting the coexistence of abstraction and figuration in a manner that was both innovative and profoundly influential. Pollock's struggle with alcoholism also began to surface during the 1930s, leading to his first attempts at sobriety and his introduction to Jungian psychoanalysis in 1938. His analyst encouraged him to produce drawings, which became a vital part of his artistic practice and psychoanalytic treatment. These drawings, infused with symbolic imagery and abstract forms, began to hint at the radical departure Pollock would later make from traditional art forms. In 1937, Pollock joined the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project, a New Deal program designed to employ artists during the Great Depression. This position allowed him to earn a living through his art, contributing to various public and government-commissioned projects. Despite financial struggles and the harsh realities of the Depression, Pollock continued to develop his unique voice as an artist, participating in his first group exhibition in 1932 and steadily gaining recognition within New York's vibrant art scene. By the late 1930s, Pollock's art was increasingly characterized by a move towards abstraction, a trend that would fully blossom in the following decade. His experiences with psychoanalysis and his exposure to avant-garde art movements laid the groundwork for his exploration of the subconscious through art. These early explorations would eventually culminate in the development of his signature drip technique, marking his place as a leading figure in the Abstract Expressionist movement. Pollock's journey through the 1930s reflects a period of intense personal and artistic development, marked by experimentation, struggle, and the gradual emergence of a groundbreaking approach to painting that would revolutionize modern art​ (The Art Story)​​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​​ (Wikipedia)​. Kline's artistic education furthered his development during the 1930s. He studied at the Art Students League in New York from 1931 to 1935, honing his skills and grounding himself in the fundamentals of art. His pursuit of art took him across the Atlantic to the Heatherley School of Fine Art in London from 1935 to 1938, where he continued to refine his craft​ (Peggy Guggenheim Venetian Art)​. This era of Kline's life was also characterized by financial struggles, which he navigated with the support of friends Theodore J. Edlich, Jr. and I. David Orr. They provided financial backing by commissioning portraits and purchasing much of his work, allowing him to persist in his artistic endeavors​ (Peggy Guggenheim Venetian Art)​. The late 1930s and early 1940s saw Kline engaging with murals and portrait painting, mediums through which he could apply his representational style. It was also during this time that Kline's interactions with key figures of the New York art scene, such as Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock, began to influence his artistic direction. This period marked the beginning of Kline's interest in Japanese art, which would later have a notable impact on his stylistic evolution​ (Peggy Guggenheim Venetian Art)​. The culmination of these experiences in the 1930s set the stage for Kline's transition to abstract expressionism. By the end of the decade, he had started to experiment with the bold strokes and use of black and white enamel that would come to define his mature style. His first solo show in 1950 at the Egan Gallery in New York was a critical success, establishing Kline as a major figure in Abstract Expressionism and highlighting the significance of his artistic journey through the 1930s​ (Peggy Guggenheim Venetian Art)​.