• The Book
• The "Irascibles"
• America
• Science
• Politics
• War
• Synopsis
• Italiano

	1. Willem de Kooning – 2. Adolph Gottlieb – 3. Ad Reinhardt – 4. Hedda Sterne – 5. Richard Pousette-Dart – 6. William Baziotes – 7. Jackson Pollock – 8. Clyfford Still – 9. Robert Motherwell – 10. Bradley Walker Tomlin – 11. Theodoros Stamos – 12. Jimmy Ernst – 13. Barnett Newman – 14. James Brooks – 15. Mark Rothko
Diagram of the picture showing the irascibles taken by Nina Leen on 24 November 1950

The celebrated picture showing the group of the so-called irascibles,

published in the 15 January 1951 issue of Life, is regarded in several respects as the canonical representation of that circle of artists that gave life to the important American avant-garde movement known as Abstract Expressionism or the New York School. Yet many questions arise from this well-known image. Is it an accurate portrayal of the whole group? Was the movement born in this period? Was it a real vanguard movement? What are the stylistic and ideal attitudes that were shared by the artists photographed by Nina Leen?