Landscape with Mountains [recto] c. late 1930s

Mark Rothko’s “Landscape with Mountains” is a painting, most likely made with watercolors or gouache on paper, where the landscape dissolves into blocks of color. It's all about the push and pull of the painting process. Look at the way Rothko plays with transparency, especially in the lower parts of the picture. See how those pinks and greens meet? It's almost like he's inviting us to watch the colors mingle and blend right on the surface. You can see the hand of the artist so clearly! It's like he's saying, "Here’s how it's done." It’s interesting to see Rothko tackle landscape, knowing his later work. It almost reminds me of Milton Avery, with its simplified forms and dreamy color palette. It makes you think about how artists keep circling back, exploring different ways of seeing and feeling the world, one painting at a time.