Woman Seated in a Chair, Hands Clasped in Lap 

This is a pencil drawing by the American abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. The work features a figure of a woman seated on a chair, with her hands clasped in her lap, and is a quick sketch done in a loose, gestural style. This drawing shows Rothko's artistic development as a young artist before his large-scale abstract works. The drawing is created with charcoal on paper, and features a simplified composition, highlighting the figure and leaving out extraneous detail. The figure is depicted in a seated position, with the woman's legs and feet visible. This informal portrait serves as a study, highlighting the dynamic qualities of line and form in Rothko's early work.