Seated Man Facing Left c. 1930

"Seated Man Facing Left" is a painting by Mark Rothko, completed around 1930. This work is characteristic of Rothko's early style, showing his transition from figurative to abstract art. The painting features a seated figure, with the face and body rendered in muted colors, a style that became synonymous with the artist's later, more famous works. The use of muted tones and a single figure against a flat background foreshadows his move towards color-field painting, where emotion and perception are explored through the arrangement of colors. This early work by Rothko provides a fascinating glimpse into the development of one of the most influential abstract painters of the 20th century.