Untitled

About the Art

Rothko referred to his work, and that of other Color Field artists, as “the simple expression of complex thought.” His signature style is outwardly plain, featuring loose-edged rectangles of color that seem to float above fields of saturated tones. Through their expressive quality of color, Rothko's paintings convey the artist’s deeply personal and spiritual meanings.

Rothko often made large paintings on canvas that involved layers of pigment that included secretive blends of synthetic elements. For this intimate work on paper, he applied thin veils of color in horizontal, frieze-like registers to the paper to create the ground. A second application allowed the characteristic rectangular shapes to take form. The simplified process allowed for more artistic control lending directness and clarity to this work.

FEATURED IMAGE
Mark Rothko (American, born in Russia, 1903–1970), Untitled, 1967, oil on paper mounted on canvas, 23 1/2 x 18 inches (59.7 x 45.7 cm). Museum purchase, 1968.80