Untitled (Sketch for Harvard Mural) c. 1961

Mark Rothko made this ‘Untitled (Sketch for Harvard Mural)’ using graphite and watercolour on paper. What strikes me first is how little Rothko is telling us. The image seems to hover between a portal, an architectural structure, or a threshold of some kind. The graphite line is thin and searching, like a blind contour, finding its way around the page. The colours are pale and translucent washes, barely there. It's as if Rothko is inviting us to complete the image, to bring our own associations and memories to it. There's a vulnerability here, an openness that feels very human. Looking at the top of the rectangle, I see this dense, smoky smudge, this reminds me of the way shapes dissolve and reform in dreams, always shifting, never quite fixed. This piece reminds me of Agnes Martin and her delicate grids, Rothko invites us to slow down and contemplate the subtle nuances of line, color, and form.