Portrait of a Man in a Cap and Jacket [recto] 

Curator: Here we have "Portrait of a Man in a Cap and Jacket" a pencil drawing, by Mark Rothko. What are your immediate impressions? Editor: A little haunting, actually. Stark. It feels incomplete, like a ghost of an idea. But the gaze is direct, almost challenging. Curator: I agree. Rothko is, of course, more celebrated for his later color field paintings, these vast canvases of layered hues, a move toward abstraction. Yet, this drawing reveals a foundation in figuration. This shows the artist's origins. The direct look in this early portrait contrasts sharply with his mature work which is characterized by elusive meaning and layered abstraction. Editor: So what drove him to leave this behind for abstract fields of color? Was this kind of figurative work just not hitting the social or political mark somehow? Curator: The context of the time is crucial. The early 20th century was marked by two World Wars and shifting socio-political landscapes. Many artists turned toward abstraction as a means to reflect the uncertainty, the absurdity, and the profound shifts in human consciousness. But also there was this deep need of artist of being unique and offering the art community an new form. Rothko's turn can be viewed as a profound and intensely felt reaction to the traumas of the time, perhaps a disillusionment with representational forms. Editor: Still, it makes you wonder about the story behind the sitter. Who was this person? And what was the social purpose this portrait fulfilled at that time? Was Rothko hoping to break into some exclusive artistic or intellectual circle with works like this? Curator: It prompts such questions. What strikes me is the confident, unwavering quality in the subject's eyes—the almost stern countenance framed by this softly sketched hat and jacket. I feel both Rothko and the model were very brave to sit this way. Editor: Yes, now, the direct look doesn’t come across so challenging as much as determined. It’s a study of form and resolve. This is now an insight that leads me to his later more abstract work. Curator: A compelling thought to leave us to it then.