De Kooning's boldly expressive style, with its thick gestural brushstrokes, meant that he was often categorised as an Abstract Expressionist. However his paintings often include recognisable figures, even if they are barely discernable. The central figure in The Visit is a woman with her legs spread out. In the right-hand corner is a shape that could be either the woman's outstretched hand, or a face in profile looking over her. The title was suggested by one of De Kooning's assistants, who thought that the composition resembled a medieval painting of the Annunciation.