Still Life with Bread and Sugar Bowl 

This pencil sketch, “Still Life with Bread and Sugar Bowl,” is a rare example of a representational work by abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. Created in a loose, gestural style, the work depicts a simple still life of a loaf of bread, a sugar bowl, and other undefined objects on a table. The composition is minimalist, with the objects rendered in simple lines and hatched shading. This sketch, likely a preliminary study for a larger work, offers a glimpse into Rothko's creative process, demonstrating his exploration of form and composition even within representational subjects.