Two Groups of Figure Sketches [recto] 

Mark Rothko created "Two Groups of Figure Sketches" using ink on paper. Although undated, these sketches provide insight into Rothko's artistic process. Before his signature color field paintings, Rothko explored the human figure. These sketches, with their fluid lines, capture the essence of human forms in a manner reminiscent of modernist sculpture. The figures possess a raw, vulnerable quality. In his work, Rothko often sought to express fundamental human emotions. "I'm interested only in expressing basic human emotions—tragedy, ecstasy, doom, and so on," he said. The juxtaposition of these figures with sketches of domestic scenes invites reflection on the relationship between the body and its environment. Rather than traditional representations, Rothko develops his own visual language, and his sketch invites us to consider the emotional weight carried by simple lines and forms.