Seated Woman with Hands on Knees 

Mark Rothko made this ink drawing, Seated Woman with Hands on Knees, with brushes and ink. The flowing quality of the ink enabled Rothko to capture the human figure with both definition and expressive flair. While Rothko is celebrated for his abstract paintings, this drawing reminds us that he had a solid grounding in figuration. The immediacy and fluidity of ink allowed him to explore the nuances of the figure's posture and emotional state. In contrast to the painstaking, almost industrial approach often associated with his later color field paintings, this early work emphasizes the artist's hand. The marks and textures, imbued by the ink, suggest an intimacy between the artist and his subject. Rothko's choice of such direct materials invites contemplation of the artistic process, as well as the cultural hierarchies often imposed on different modes of expression. Ultimately, this drawing invites us to consider how materiality, technique, and artistic intention intersect in the creation of meaning.