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Basic data
Mark Rothko was a Russian-American painter and one of the most important representatives of abstract expressionism, in particular color field painting. His works are known for their large, floating color fields that convey emotional depth.
- Name: Mark Rothko
- Date of birth: September 25, 1903
- Place of birth: Daugavpils, Latvia (then Russia)
- Date of death: February 25, 1970
- Place of death: New York City, USA
- Nationality: American
- Art style: Abstract Expressionism, color field painting
- Known works: “No. 61 (Rust and Blue)”, “Orange, Red, Yellow”, “Four Darks in Red”
- Techniques: Painting
- Influences: Mythology, Modern Philosophy, Henri Matisse
- Similar artists: Yves Klein, Jackson Pollock
- Exhibitions: Major retrospectives at MoMA, Tate Modern and Whitney Museum
- Special features: Famous for his monumental, atmospheric color field paintings
Mark Rothko's work remains a cornerstone of modern art and continues to influence generations of artists today.
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Biography
Childhood & youth
Mark Rothko was born Marcus Rothkowitz on September 25, 1903 in Dvinsk, in what was then the Russian Empire (now Daugavpils, Latvia). During his childhood, Rothko experienced the discrimination and persecution of Jews in Tsarist Russia. These early experiences of social injustice and exclusion left a deep impression on him and later influenced his art. In 1913, the family emigrated to the USA and settled in Portland, Oregon.
Rothko grew up in a working-class family and initially showed no particular inclination towards art. After finishing high school, he attended Yale University on a scholarship, but left after two years because he could not identify with the academic environment. In 1923, Rothko moved to New York City, where he initially eked out a living as a casual laborer and began taking art courses at the Art Students League.
Early career: figurative art and surrealist influences
In the late 1920s, Rothko began to paint seriously and joined the New York art scene. He studied under Max Weber, a leading modernist who introduced him to the ideas of the European avant-garde. Rothko's early works are figurative and depict scenes of urban life influenced by Expressionism and New Objectivity.
In the 1930s and early 1940s, Rothko gradually developed his style further, moving towards surrealist and biomorphic forms. These works are often inspired by myths and ancient cultures, and he shows an increasing departure from reality towards an introspective, psychologically charged style of painting. During this period, he intensively explored the idea of using art as a medium to address deeper emotional and spiritual dimensions.
In 1940, Rothko joined forces with a group of artists who became known as “The Ten” and turned against the prevailing American realism. They called for an art that expressed feelings and the inner state of human beings. Rothko became increasingly attracted to the idea of “transcendental art”, which goes beyond the purely visible.
Abstract Expressionism and color field painting
In the late 1940s, Rothko took the decisive step towards abstraction. He began to completely abandon figurative representation and developed the technique for which he became world-famous: so-called color plane painting. During this phase, he created large-format paintings consisting of superimposed, luminous blocks of color. These paintings are not intended as representations of something concrete, but rather to immerse the viewer in a deep emotional and spiritual experience.
Rothko became one of the leading representatives of Abstract Expressionism, even though he himself rejected this categorization. His work is closely related to the paintings of artists such as Barnett Newman and Clyfford Still, who also explored the potential of color as an emotional medium of expression. Rothko's famous “multiforms”, as he calls his large, block-like color compositions, are intended to evoke a contemplative, almost meditative reaction in the viewer. The color surfaces seem to float and convey a profound stillness and sublimity.
His works such as Untitled (Yellow and Blue) (1954) or No. 14 (1960) are characterized by the use of layers of paint applied with a subtle transparency. These paintings, which may appear simple at first glance, require prolonged contemplation to fully grasp the emotional vibrations and power of the colors.
Late works and the Rothko Chapel
In the 1960s, Rothko's work became increasingly darker and more intimate. He increasingly painted with deep, earthy colors such as red, black, brown and grey, reflecting his inner exploration of themes such as death, spirituality and existence. These color surfaces, often in monumental format, are intended to overwhelm the viewer and immerse them in an almost religious experience.
A highlight of his late creative phase is his work on the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, an interfaith, spiritual space designed as a place of meditation and contemplation. Rothko created 14 monumental, almost monochrome works for the chapel, which radiate a deep stillness and gravity. The Chapel is regarded as one of his most important works and as an expression of his exploration of metaphysical questions.
The increasing darkness of his works also reflects Rothko's personal crisis. Although he enjoyed artistic success and recognition, he increasingly suffered from depression and health problems. The growing pressure and expectations of the art world weighed heavily on him and his health problems worsened.
Tragic end and legacy
On February 25, 1970, Mark Rothko took his own life in his studio in New York. His death shook the art world, but his artistic legacy remains unbroken. Rothko's work is now regarded as one of the most profound explorations of color, space and emotion in modern art.
His paintings are not only masterpieces of abstraction, but also meditative, existential explorations that raise universal questions about human existence and spiritual experience. Rothko never intended his works to be viewed merely as aesthetic objects. Rather, he invited the viewer to immerse themselves in the colors and make a personal, emotional connection to the works. Today, Rothko's works can be found in the world's most important museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London.
Exhibitions
- 22.09.2023 - 31.03.2024: Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper – National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
- 08.11.2022 - 24.04.2023: Mark Rothko: The Seagram Murals – Tate Britain, London.
- 10.09.2019 - 12.01.2020: Mark Rothko – Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
- 25.09.2008 - 01.02.2009: Mark Rothko: Retrospective – Tate Modern, London.
- 08.10.1998 - 21.03.1999: Mark Rothko – National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Awards
- 1962 Gold Medal for Art - National Institute of Arts and Letters, USA
- 1971 Naming of the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas, in honor of his works and legacy
Films
- Rothko: Pictures Must Be Miraculous, documentary, 53 min, USA, 2019.
- Rothko’s Rooms: The Life and Works of an American Artist, documentary, 60 min, UK, 2008.
Literature
- Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade: 1940–1950, Bradford R. Collins, New Haven, 2023
- Mark Rothko: Toward the Light in the Chapel, Annie Cohen-Solal, New Haven, 2015
- Mark Rothko: From the Inside Out, Christopher Rothko, Yale University Press, 2015
- The Artist’s Reality: Philosophies of Art, Mark Rothko, Yale University Press, 2006
Collections
USA
- New York - The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Washington D.C. - National Gallery of Art
- Houston - Rothko Chapel
UK
- London - Tate Modern
Schwitzerland
- Basel - Fondation Beyeler
France
- Paris - Centre Pompidou
Weblinks
- Official website of the Rothko Chapel
- Offcial Catalogue Raisonné of Mark Rothko
