Seated Woman Leaning Back, Arms Supporting Head [recto] 

This pencil drawing of a seated woman, made by Mark Rothko, uses only the most basic of materials. A graphite pencil, applied to paper, a support ubiquitous in modern life thanks to industrial production. Consider the marks made here: Rothko hasn't labored over every detail. Instead, the drawing seems to capture a fleeting impression. Yet, the very speed and directness of the medium is critical here. Pencil offers immediacy. It allows for a kind of thinking through the hand. One might even say that the slightness of the work is the point. Rothko is not trying to impress us with virtuosity or the skillful handling of rare materials. He's inviting us into his process, into the moment of creation. By stripping away the usual markers of artistic value, he encourages us to focus on the essential act of seeing and recording. The drawing challenges the traditional hierarchy between finished art and preliminary sketch, elevating the latter to a position of significance.