Untitled [recto]

c. 1944/1946

Mark Rothko

Associated Names
Mark Rothko

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

The image shows flowing and elongated lines that curve across the canvas, with smaller shapes scattered throughout. Additionally, there is a central form resembling a flowing figure or ribbon-like entity, and a bold blue circle in the upper right corner. The composition creates a surreal landscape with shapes that may evoke trees or figures under a dreamlike sky.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and brush and black ink and transparent watercolor on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc.

  • Dimensions

    overall: 54 x 38.3 cm (21 1/4 x 15 1/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1986.43.189.a

  • Copyright

    Copyright © 2005 Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko

Associated Artworks

The image displays swirling lines and shapes layered upon one another, with abstract qualities. Curved and circular forms in blue and red intermingle with sharp black outlines, resembling objects like vases or connected gears. The color usage is bold, with blue and red suggesting water or fire, while the background is a muted, earthy tone. This creates a sense of organized chaos.

Untitled [verso]

Mark Rothko

1944

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Estate of the artist, 1970; Marlborough Gallery, Inc., New York, 1970; Estate of the artist, 1977; The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., New York, 1979; gift to the NGA, 1986.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2026

  • Rothko in Florence, Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, 2026, cat. no. 15, repro.

Bibliography

1986

  • Blinken, Donald, et al. Eliminating the Obstacles Between the Painter and the Observer: The Mark Rothko Foundation. New York, 1986: 45.

2026

  • Geuna, Elena, and Rothko, Christopher, editors. Rothko: In Florence. Exh. cat. Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, 2026: 77, cat. no. 15.

Wikidata ID

Q64595418

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