Mark Rothko

by Jeffrey S. Weiss

Mark Rothko is one of the towering figures of Abstract Expressionism, and of twentieth-century painting as a whole. His paintings, predominantly in a large format and featuring horizontal layers of pigment on a monochrome foundation, occupy a permanent place in our collective pictorial memory as an epitome of heroic Modernism. This beautifully produced oversize monograph presents over 100 of his works in full-color plates. By considering Rothko's central groups of works from all creative periods--among them the Rothko Room in the Phillips Collection and the Harvard Murals at Harvard University--this book documents the artist's struggle to arrive at "a consummated experience between picture and onlooker." Rothko's adamant insistence on controlling the presentation of his works set him apart from the art scene as early as the 1950s. His pictures were to be hung closely together in small rooms, in which soft lighting and imposing scale were to provide an immediate viewing experience. This book attempts to recreate that atmosphere with a large, uninterrupted plate section that brings to life the vibrancy and power of these paintings. In addition to more than 100 color works, Mark Rothko includes essays about specific groups of work, an extensive, year by year, descriptive chronology of his life and work, and an exhaustive bibliography of writings about him from the past five years. It is an essential addition to any collection on twentieth-century art.

Genres: Art, Essays, Nonfiction, Visual Art, Art History, Biography Memoir, Biography

376 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a tremendous amount about Rothko's works from reading this book. However, as with all art books, the pictures of his paintings were only vauge approximations of the artist's work & it wasn't always possible to see what was being described, like in the drip pattern.

[Courtland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Portals/Landscapes/Spaces being primordial/modern images coalescing both nothingness, tragedy, and 'nothing but content' in the oeuvre, transmuting the Cacophony into a profound, laconic, monolithic form.

[R.Friend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly designed catalog by Margaret Bauer of the National Gallery of Art, offering a brilliant representation of Rothko's works from a landmark exhibition.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all my books, this is the gem of my entire library.
I couldn't like it more. Fabulous

[Kimley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catalog to an amazing exhibit. This is about as good as you can get with a Rothko book considering the difficulty of trying to reproduce the color and scale of his work.

[Curtis Anthony Bozif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great interviews at the end.

[Laural · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a pretty book for my favorite artist!

[Camplte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing collection of images

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

no art book could contain the largeness of Rothko's work. Jumps off the page, and you just wish it was even bigger.

Nothing like seeing a real Rothko, but still impressive.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful art but I would have preferred more biographical data integrated with the prints. I suppose I should just read a Rothko biography!

[sleeps9hours · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great collection!

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The images in this book are the most accurate reproductions of Rothko's work that I have seen in bound form. The essays were not anything enlightening, but the interviews were great.

[Madeleine Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice reproductions and essays.