Born in Dvinsh, Russia

1903

Jewish Upbringing

1925Max Weber and the

Art Student’s League

WPA involvement during the Great Depression

Emergence of

Flat Shapes

Rothko never considered himself

an abstract painter.

Instead, he wanted to create an

“experience”

for his viewers.

Self-reflection.

You bring the emotions

to the painting

This allows for endless

interpretation of

emotional content

Rothko minimized the

Paint’s physical presence.

He perfected a unique

dyeing technique

The sheer size of his works

are meant to fill the viewer’s

field of vision.

This became

Transcendence.

Rothko’s earlier works

tended to be light in

Tone and bright in color.

Towards the end of his

career, his palette became

increasingly darker.

1963

1969

Increased hardness

or sharpness of line.

Many world-changing

unprecedented events

happened during

Rothko’s lifetime.

Rothko did not live in

a bubble, and it is

interesting to compare

his artistic evolution

with the current events

of the time.

1930’s

The Great Depression

WPA Project 36-37

1941

U.S. Enters the

Second World War

1954

Racial Segregation ruled

to be Unconstitutional

1960

The Civil Rights

Movement

1963

John F. Kennedy

Is assasinated.

1965

Vietnam begins.

1968

Martin Luther King

Is assinated.