Intense, vibrant masses of colour characterise Mark Rothko's Abstract Expressionist masterpieces. Like no other artist of his generation, Rothko developed his own stylistic vocabulary, creating large-scale paintings that were not only to be seen, but also to be experienced, immersing viewers in the drama, intimacy and tragedy of the human condition.

The drama of the images

Tragedy, Ecstasy and Doom

Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was a great advocate of the artist's total freedom of expression and shunned classifications and any attempt to interpret his paintings. Although he is considered a key figure of Abstract Expressionism, trained in New York City, Rothko rejected labels and insisted on the creation of "a full experience between the painting and the viewer".

After a figurative phase, Rothko developed his emblematic canvases of brightly coloured blocks in red, yellow, ochre, brown, black and green. He emphasised that he had not eliminated the human figure with these bright, vivid spaces of colour, but replaced it with symbols or forms that contained all the tragedy of the human condition, while explicitly giving the viewer the power to interpret his work. A painting lives in company," he said, "expanding and coming to life before the eyes of the sensitive viewer.

From his early beginnings to his most famous colour fields, this book uncovers the intelligence and influence of Rothko's dramatic, intimate and revolutionary work.

About the author

Jacob Baal-Teshuva (1929-2022) was a writer, critic and independent curator of exhibitions. He studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and New York University. His publications include works on Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol, as well as Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

• Pages: 96
• Language: English
• Author: Jacob Baal-Teshuva
• Year: 2015
• MODEL: 9783836504263

Publisher: Taschen