Untitled 

This untitled drawing was made by Mark Rothko, and it employs graphite on paper. Rothko is more widely known for his abstract paintings, but this drawing can help us consider the institutional context that shapes the production and reception of art. This piece gives us a rare glimpse into the artist’s process. Rothko was working in an art world increasingly dominated by abstract expressionism. This movement’s focus was on the artist’s internal emotional state, and some critics said that the movement was apolitical and individualistic. It may have also been seen as a product of American freedom. In comparison to his contemporaries Rothko, who was born in Russia and raised in an intellectual Jewish household in Oregon, was very concerned with the public role of art. It may be seen as a preparatory work and a hint of earlier influences. As art historians, we use drawings like these, along with written archives and social histories, to understand the institutions and social conditions that influenced artists like Rothko. By investigating these resources, we discover the meaning of art as something contingent on historical and institutional context.