Vibrations of Aurora 1944

Mark Rothko made "Vibrations of Aurora" with oil on canvas, though when is not clear. He starts with a ground of soft pinks, peaches and yellows. The colours are all very close in tone and make for a very comforting palette. The painting seems to suggest a dreamscape of figurative elements, full of forms that are hard to decipher. Looking closely at the white shapes in the middle, I see a very subtle red outline. This delicate red outline makes the shapes feel soft and yielding, like they could move or shift at any moment. Rothko is of course much better known for his large abstract works, but in the making of any artwork, whether abstract or figurative, it is through this sensitivity to color that an artist constructs an experience for the viewer. It is this willingness to let the painting speak to us that makes Rothko such a fascinating painter.