Untitled (women in a hat shop) c. 1936

Rothko made this untitled painting of women in a hat shop with oil on canvas. Looking at those bright reds, greens and blues, I imagine him layering on the paint, scraping back, building it up again, until these forms begin to emerge – shifting and solidifying. I love thinking about what an artist is going through when they’re creating something. What was Rothko thinking as he captured this fleeting moment? The paint is applied with such physicality, you can almost feel the energy of his brushstrokes, like that vibrant red outline he gives to one of the women’s dresses. There's a real conversation happening here. It speaks to other paintings that attempt to catch a glimpse of modern life. It’s like he’s saying: “I see you Vuillard, Bonnard… I’m here too.” Painting is like that, an ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring each other across time. He leaves so much unsaid in this piece, and that is what makes it so exciting to look at.