Mark Rothko's paintings changed significantly over his lifetime. In the early part of his career, he produced works that were characterized by a surrealist sensibility, with biomorphic forms and flattened spaces. By the mid-1940s, he had begun to experiment with abstraction, and his work became more focused on color and form.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Rothko developed his signature style of large, color-field paintings in which blocks of color were layered on top of each other to create a sense of depth and a feeling of immersive space. These works were often characterized by subtle shifts in color and were intended to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
As Rothko continued to evolve as an artist, his paintings became increasingly minimalistic, with fewer and larger blocks of color dominating the composition. The color fields became more flat and uniform, and he often worked with darker hues.
In the final years of his life, Rothko's paintings became increasingly introspective, with a focus on the spiritual and the transcendent. He often used a limited palette of deep reds, browns, and blacks, and his compositions became more simplified, with fewer and larger color fields dominating the canvas. These works are often seen as a reflection of Rothko's struggle with depression and his eventual suicide in 1970.
How do Rothko’s paintings change over his lifetime?
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