Still Life on Table, Bottle and Vase 

This pen and ink drawing on paper by Mark Rothko shows us a still life of objects on a table. Rothko is best known for his later abstract paintings, but this earlier work offers insight into the development of his artistic style. Still life as a genre has a long history with strong ties to ideas of wealth and taste, but here we see Rothko experimenting with ways to simplify form, and break down conventions of representation. Made in the United States, the drawing reflects a desire to capture the essence of objects rather than their surface appearance. This shift towards abstraction was a progressive move away from traditional academic styles. Rothko's engagement with abstraction can be seen as a critique of the institutions of art. To truly appreciate this work, we need to look at the resources that help us to understand the context and thinking of the artist. It is through this historical understanding that we can start to understand the artwork’s social meaning.