Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko was an American painter of Latvian-Jewish descent best known for his large, abstract color field paintings.

Biography of Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko (Markus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz) was born on September 25, 1903, in Dvinsk (now Daugavpils, Latvia). The artist and his family immigrated to the USA in 1913. They settled in Portland, Oregon, where Mark Rothko attended Lincoln High School.

In 1921, Rothko left Portland to study at Yale University on a scholarship, but in 1923 he dropped out and went to New York. Eager to refine his skills and broaden his artistic horizons, he attended the Parsons The New School for Design.

In 1928, Rothko showcased his artworks at the Opportunity Gallery, marking a significant step in his early career. The following year, Rothko took on a teaching position at the Center Academy of the Brooklyn Jewish Center, where he imparted his knowledge and skills in drawing, painting, and clay sculpture to schoolchildren.

In the early 1930s, Rothko formed a particularly close bond with Adolph Gottlieb.

He achieved a significant milestone as his first solo exhibition took place at the Portland Art Museum. The show predominantly featured his exquisite drawings and watercolors, showcasing the early fruits of his artistic exploration.

Upon his return to New York, Rothko achieved a significant milestone in his artistic career: his first solo show on the East Coast, held at the esteemed Contemporary Arts Gallery. The exhibition featured a compelling collection of fifteen oil paintings, primarily focused on portraiture, alongside a selection of his watercolors and drawings.

In the latter part of 1935, Mark Rothko became a founding member of a significant artistic collective known as "The Ten." 

In 1938, Mark Rothko obtained his United States citizenship, driven by concerns stemming from the rising influence of the Nazi regime in Europe. Amid mounting worries about the prevalence of antisemitism in America and Europe, Rothko decided to abbreviate his name from "Markus Rothkowitz" to the more streamlined and anglicized "Mark Rothko."

Rothko's solo exhibition at The Art of This Century Gallery happened in late 1945. This show did not yield significant sales, and critical reception was less than favorable. However, during this period, Rothko found inspiration in the abstract landscapes of color created by fellow artist Clyfford Still. This encounter sparked a transformation in Rothko's artistic style, leading him away from surrealism and toward a new path of exploration. One of Rothko's notable masterpieces, "Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea" (1945), vividly exemplifies his burgeoning inclination toward abstraction.

In 1948, Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, William Baziotes, Barnett Newman, and David Hare established the Subjects of the Artist School located at 35 East 8th Street. Regrettably, the school couldn't sustain itself and was forced to close its doors in the spring of 1949.

In 1954, Rothko had the opportunity to showcase his work in a solo exhibition at the prestigious Art Institute of Chicago. There, he crossed paths with art dealer Sidney Janis, who already represented renowned artists such as Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. This encounter proved to be mutually advantageous for both Rothko and Janis.

In 1958, Mark Rothko agreed to create paintings for the newly established luxury restaurant, the Four Seasons. The artist created forty paintings for this project.

Later, Mark Rothko received another notable mural commission. This time, the opportunity came in the form of creating a series of paintings for the penthouse of Harvard University's Holyoke Center. In response to this commission, Rothko embarked on an intensive creative process.

Mark Rothko's art style

Rothko's art career can be delineated into distinct eras, each marked by distinctive stylistic characteristics. In his early period, from 1924 to 1939, Rothko primarily delved into representational art influenced by Impressionism. During this phase, he often depicted urban scenes, capturing the essence of city life through his brushstrokes.

Moving into his middle or "transitional" years, from 1940 to 1950, Rothko underwent a significant evolution in his artistic style. During this phase, Rothko embarked on a series of explorations, venturing into various forms of abstraction.

In 1946, Rothko started a transformative artistic phase, giving birth to what art critics now refer to as his transitional "multiform" paintings. The "multiforms" and early signature paintings created by Rothko often boasted a captivating array of bright, vibrant colors, particularly shades of red and yellow. These lively and dynamic hues served as a conduit for expressing energy, ecstasy, and a sense of profound vitality. They resonated with viewers, eliciting a visceral response and evoking a heightened emotional experience.

Towards the end of his life, Mark Rothko embarked on a series of paintings collectively known as the "Black on Grays." This series showcased a consistent composition: a black rectangle positioned above a gray rectangle. These canvases have often been linked to his struggles with depression and, tragically, his eventual suicide.

Mark Rothko's artistic style is often associated with the color field painting genre, characterized by expansive canvases adorned with layers of diluted paint, resulting in stacked rectangles of vibrant hues.

Throughout his career, Rothko continued to push the boundaries of his art, and he became increasingly interested in the relationship between the viewer and the painting. He believed that his paintings had the ability to evoke deep emotions and create a sense of spiritual transcendence.