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The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2012-01-18 10:54:09 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
English to French translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
English term or phrase:sparely
a website talking about a retrospective of de Kooning's paintings says "...and concluding with his final, sparely abstract paintings of the late 1980's". I don't have to translate the actual sentence but I need to be 100% sure about what "sparely" means when referring to Kooning's abstract paintings. Thanks in advance.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 mins (2012-01-15 08:57:04 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_de_Kooning
There is much debate over the significance of his 1980s paintings, which became clean, sparse, and almost graphic, while alluding to the biomorphic lines of his early works.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 36 mins (2012-01-15 09:21:03 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Minimalism - A style of painting and sculpture in the mid 20th century in which the art elements are rendered with a minimum of lines, shapes, and sometimes color. The works may look and feel sparse, spare, restricted or empty.
In addition to SJLD's suggested translation, the answer was full of helpful information. Alain Marsol's suggestion which specified "lignes épurées" made it clear that "sparely" was referring to the artist's style and not the number of paintings. Everyon 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
In any case, "spare" and "sparse" are easier to deal with than "sparely" which sounds like an adverb rather than an adjective. The reference for art terminology you just added looks quite good. Thanks!
Crops up regularly in art blabla, I can assure you. You learn to live with it ;-)
http://www.ryoung-art.com/Art terminology.htm
Minimalism - A style of painting and sculpture in the mid 20th century in which the art elements are rendered with a minimum of lines, shapes, and sometimes color. The works may look and feel sparse, spare, restricted or empty.
I had the same question as polyglot45. I had considered "sparse" instead of "sparely" but both made it sound like he had done fewer paintings. Thanks to SJLD's explanation and Alain's suggestion of "lignes épurées", it is now clear that we are talking about his style.
No, it's referring to his technique. He had Alzheimer's disease later in life. Compared to his earlier works, these later paintings were much less complex, fewer brush strokes, etc.
Check the internet - in fact the phrase is "sparse abstract paintings" = épuré
De Kooning at MOMA
www.outofordermag.com/blog/2011/09/de-kooning-at-moma/
18 Sep 2011 – ... made in Holland before he moved to the United States in 1926, and concluding with his final sparse abstract paintings of the late 1980s.
De Kooning: A Retrospective - Flavorpill New York
flavorpill.com/newyork/events/2011/9/.../de-kooning-a-retrospective
18 Sep 2011 – ... concluding with his final, sparely abstract paintings of the late 1980s. ... to America to the artist's sublime, sparse canvases of the late 1980s.”
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Answers
9 mins confidence:
aux lignes épurées
Explanation: peintures abstraites aux lignes épurées
I suggest you search "de Kooning late 1980s" on Google Images to see what they look like.
Alain Marsol Local time: 22:28 Native speaker of: French PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks. By adding "lignes", you make it clear the sentence is talking about his style and not the number of paintings he did towards the end of his career.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 12 mins (2012-01-15 08:57:04 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_de_Kooning
There is much debate over the significance of his 1980s paintings, which became clean, sparse, and almost graphic, while alluding to the biomorphic lines of his early works.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 36 mins (2012-01-15 09:21:03 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Minimalism - A style of painting and sculpture in the mid 20th century in which the art elements are rendered with a minimum of lines, shapes, and sometimes color. The works may look and feel sparse, spare, restricted or empty.
SJLD Local time: 22:28 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 22
Grading comment
In addition to SJLD's suggested translation, the answer was full of helpful information. Alain Marsol's suggestion which specified "lignes épurées" made it clear that "sparely" was referring to the artist's style and not the number of paintings. Everyon
Notes to answerer
Asker: "Sparse" is clearer for me than "sparely" - but I was mainly having trouble determining whether they were talking about his paintings being few and far between, or his style being sparse. With the sentence from Wikipedia, it is clearly his style. Thanks.
The translation workplace 
