Standing Female Nude Turned to the Right, Arms Raised to Head 

Mark Rothko’s pencil drawing presents a standing female nude, her arms raised. This pose, echoing the ancient Venus Pudica, evokes a sense of modesty, but also alludes to the divine feminine across cultures. Consider Botticelli's Venus, born from the sea, shielding herself. This gesture, though simple, carries the weight of centuries—a dance between concealing and revealing, purity and sensuality. Here, Rothko strips away detail, yet this primal gesture remains. It reappears in Indian iconography as ‘Lajja Gauri’, symbolising fertility and abundance. The pose, seemingly simple, resonates deeply within our collective memory. The raised arms might evoke vulnerability, yet also a strange defiance. This interplay touches upon the subconscious—a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, emotional level. The pose continues its journey through art history, transforming and adapting, each time echoing a fragment of its past, while embracing the nuances of the present.