Mark+Rothko

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Mark Rothko



Mark Rothko was born on September 25, 1903 by the name of Marcus Rothkowitz in the city Dvinsk, Russia. He was the youngest son of Jacob Rothkowitz and Anna Goldin Rothkowitz. By 1913, Mark Rothko traveled to America after his father was able to save enough money for the trip. A couple of months later though, his father passed away from colon cancer.Rothko was then forced to work at a young age in a place which he did not know the language and culture of. His childhood was filled with bitterness and poverty. He completed high school in three years and then went to Yale but decided to leave. Rothko went on to New York and attended the Arts Students League and later to the New School of Design. As the years progressed Rothko began to develop his artistic style until it finally reached its mature phase. Rothko inadvertently became an abstract painter and a prominent one. On February 25, 1970 Rothko had committed suicide.





The painting Antigone refers to the Greek drama by Sophocles also called Antigone. In Antigone there are two males and two females heads joined together. The people are Creon and his son Haemon and Antigone with her sister Ismene. This piece is semi abstract and the first of Mark Rothko’s mythological paintings. Antigone was a 34x45 ¾ in. painting made around 1938-40 with oil and charcoal on a canvas. This painting was painted over a former painting of a female in his realistic style. Antigone is a flat and decorative painting showing different values but yet has no definite mass. This piece uses both thin and wide lines and strokes.

Antigone shows tension. This is obvious since in the painting it shows each of the heads turning away from each other. Each has chosen their side of who to support. Antigone shows that there was a disagreement between the two parties and an agreement or solution has yet to be made. It also shows that even though they are in disagreement with each other they cannot escape each other either. Something binds them together emotionally making them want a solution to this struggle whether it ends well or not. Rothko expresses that well by having their heads joined. The conflict however seems to end in disappointment as one can see from the frowns of the two heads in the left and the two heads of sadness in the right. The shades of reds and browns of the two figures in the left depict anger whereas the blues and yellows of the heads to the right show sadness. One head however seems to have red and blue together which could signify justified anger perhaps. The painting Antigone evokes feelings of wonderment as to what could possibly cause strife between these people.

Mark Rothko was a great contributor for the arts. His works throughout the years showed his gradual progress towards the works that he would later be known for. Rothko’s abstract pieces demonstrated great emotional depth and showed how the only thing needed to create beautiful art is just colors.


 * My Interpretation of Mark Rothko**



Title: Balls Media: NuPastel Dimensions: 18x23 1/2 Nylza Lujan 2010

SOURCE: Ottmann, Klaus. The Essential Mark Rothko.