Standing Man [verso] c. 1930s

Mark Rothko made this drawing of a figure with ink on paper. The brushstrokes are bold and wet. It makes you think about the physical act of painting: Rothko dipping his brush in ink, bringing it to the paper, maybe without even thinking too much. I’m wondering if this was a study for one of his more famous color field paintings. I can imagine him exploring the balance of form and space, working out how to create a sense of presence with minimal means. What was he thinking about when he made this? Was he trying to capture a feeling, a memory, or just the essence of a human form? That single stroke suggesting the back of the figure's head is so evocative! It reminds me of a Cy Twombly gesture, but darker, heavier. Like all artists, they were in conversation, thinking about how line and form can embody feeling. It is such a simple sketch, yet it opens up so many questions. Painting lets us respond in ambiguous ways. It shows there's always something new to discover, even in the simplest of forms.