Female Nude Reclining 

Mark Rothko made this pen and ink drawing, "Female Nude Reclining," on paper at an unknown date. It depicts a female nude in a reclining position. The Western art historical tradition is filled with nude figures. It might be tempting to view this drawing through that familiar lens. However, as historians, we must go further. Rothko was an American artist working in a period of considerable social change. This places his drawing within a specific cultural and political context. I encourage you to research the status of women in mid-20th century America. You might consider how cultural norms, and perhaps Rothko himself, influenced the way he represented the female form. Was his approach conservative or progressive? Was he making a statement about art institutions? Art always exists within a web of social and institutional forces. As historians, it is our job to understand those forces and how they shape the meaning of art.