Untitled

1956

Mark Rothko

Associated Names
Mark Rothko

Painter, American, born Russia (now Latvia), 1903 - 1970

This painting features two distinct colorful shapes. At the bottom of the painting, occupying around a third of the total space, is a bright red rectangle. On top of it is a slightly larger dark green rectangle. The green rectangle is outlined by thin lines of red, and the edges between the two colors are soft and slightly blurred. Thick brushstrokes are visible within each color, creating slight variations in tone.
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On View

East Building Tower Level, Gallery E615

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pigmented hide glue, oil, and acrylic on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc.

  • Dimensions

    overall: 242.9 x 207 cm (95 5/8 x 81 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1986.43.148

  • Copyright

    Copyright © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

The artist [1903-1970]; his estate; consigned 1970 to (Marlborough Gallery, Inc., New York); transferred 1977 back to the artist's estate;[1] transferred 1979 to The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., New York; gift 1986 to NGA.
[1] For a detailed discussion of the transactions surrounding the Rothko estate see Lee Seldes, Legacy of Mark Rothko, New York, 1978.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2005

  • The Art of Mark Rothko: Selections from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Museo de Arte Moderna, Mexico City; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, 2005-2006, brochures, no. 20, repro.

2014

  • Mark Rothko: Works from the Collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague; Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center, South Korea, 2014-2015, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

2015

  • Mark Rothko: A Retrospective, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2015-2016, no. 35, repro.

Bibliography

1991

  • Kopper, Philip. America's National Gallery of Art: A Gift to the Nation. New York, 1991: 315, color repro.

1992

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1992: 319, repro.

1998

  • Anfam, David. Mark Rothko: The Works on Canvas: Catalogue Raisonné. New Haven and London, 1998: no. 564, repro.

Inscriptions

upper right reverse: MARK ROTHKO / 1956; on horizontal crossbar member: M.R.

Wikidata ID

Q20194892

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