Untitled 1968

This untitled work was created by Mark Rothko at an unknown date. It is rendered in oil on paper. Here, we are confronted with a compelling interplay of color, light, and shadow. The dominant horizontal bands of blue and yellow are reminiscent of early cosmological myths, where bands of color represent the divide between the earthly and celestial realms. Rothko presents us with a modern echo of this ancient structure. Consider the symbolism of colors themselves. Blue, often associated with the divine, is a color rooted in ancient traditions of mourning and lament, whereas the bright band of yellow is radiant and full of life. The contrast and arrangement of these colors evoke the constant cycle of death and rebirth, a visual representation of the human experience. The cyclical nature of life is a powerful and recurring theme. Its non-linear progression resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings across time.