Mark Rothko

1903-1970

Rothko is one of the key figures of Abstract Expressionism and Color Field painting, but he did not think of his canvases as purely abstract exercises. He used floating rectangles, soft edges, and large expanses of color to create an enveloping, contemplative encounter that could carry grief, awe, silence, and transcendence. His paintings are spare in structure yet emotionally dense, asking the viewer not just to look at them but to stand inside their atmosphere.