Standing Female Nude Turned to the Right, Hands on Hips 

This pencil sketch, "Standing Female Nude Turned to the Right, Hands on Hips," is a preliminary work by Mark Rothko, the renowned Abstract Expressionist painter. Although he is primarily known for his large-scale abstract canvases, Rothko's early works demonstrate his talent for figuration. This sketch reveals his ability to capture the human form with simple, expressive lines, hinting at the stylistic evolution that would lead him to his iconic color-field paintings. The work showcases his interest in the human body and the exploration of form and space, even within the confines of a preparatory drawing.