Study after Rothko

Study after Rothko

Smale-Murillo, Scott

Mark Rothko, one of the most preeminent artists of the twentieth century, innovated a new style of abstract painting known as Color Field Painting. Study after Rothko was conceived as an exploration of this technique. Within the painting, a field of vermilion jockeys with surrounding maroon to advance from the picture plane. Framing this encounter is a hazy band that recedes into space. As like in most of Rothko’s work, one of the main subjects of Study after Rothko is the boundary between the colored zones. The push and pull of colors amongst themselves create ambiguity as to whether a particular colored area is behind or in front of its surroundings, thus creating an opening or a window. Although this comparison would not have been made during Rothko’s day, a contemporary viewer of a color field painting could also think of a digital screen or monitor, which are all too prevalent in our time. Overall, despite eschewing literal interpretation, Study after Rothko may remind an onlooker of a particular feeling, an event within their lives, or something they cannot quite recall.

2025