Untitled 1947

This untitled work by Mark Rothko is a layered construction of muted tones built around a central white form like a vessel or pitcher. The way that the colors are built up, scraped away and reworked is really important; it shows us how artmaking is about a process of thinking. The material aspects of this work are fascinating; the texture of the paint is neither too thick nor completely smooth, but has areas of transparency and opacity. Looking closely you can see how Rothko used brushes of different sizes to create the forms and how some marks are bold and distinct while others are softened by blending and overpainting. Consider the black brushstrokes that defines the vessel's spout and handle – they feel both precise and tentative, as though Rothko was unsure, or allowing ambiguity into the process. Rothko’s later work is known for its blocks of color, yet this piece has a representational element that has been obscured and abstracted through the painting process, calling to mind another great painter of vessels, Giorgio Morandi. The beauty of art is in this exchange, where artists respond to one another across time, creating new ways of seeing and experiencing the world.