Seated Nude Leaning to the Right, Legs Crossed at Ankles 

Editor: Here we have "Seated Nude Leaning to the Right, Legs Crossed at Ankles," a pencil drawing by Mark Rothko. It strikes me as a rather traditional subject, yet the sketch-like quality feels very modern. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It's fascinating to see Rothko engaging with figuration, especially given his later abstraction. Consider the historical context: early 20th century, academic training still emphasizing life drawing. How do you think the art world of his time shaped his decision to even create this nude study, and later abandon it? Editor: That's a great question. Maybe he felt pressured to master the figure but then rejected it as being too…conventional? What purpose might a drawing like this serve in the broader cultural landscape of art education at that time? Curator: Exactly. Art schools were grappling with tradition versus modernity. This drawing reflects the pressure on artists to demonstrate technical skill. It was a validation of their ability to then “break” those rules later. It shows how academic traditions continued to permeate the avant-garde. What's most interesting, though, is what the turn away from the figure meant for the institutions exhibiting, and promoting artists at this time? What did they lose in their willingness to turn away from certain kinds of artwork? Editor: That's so interesting. I hadn’t thought about the institutions. Curator: What do *you* think they lost? Editor: I think they may have become inaccessible, in a way. Perhaps even contributing to a public mistrust in what qualifies as 'art'. Thank you; I'll be pondering this drawing for days!