Side View of Standing Nude, Turned to the Right, Hands Folded in Front 

Mark Rothko made this pen and ink drawing, "Side View of Standing Nude, Turned to the Right, Hands Folded in Front" on paper at an unknown date. Rothko is best known for his large abstract canvases of layered colors. So how does this drawing fit into his wider artistic practice? During the 1930s and 40s, Rothko, along with many other New York artists, was employed by the WPA, the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency created to support artists during the Great Depression. These artists were encouraged to create works with social and political content, often reflecting the struggles of the working class or promoting social justice. Although this drawing is not overtly political, it does reflect the social realist aesthetic that was popular at the time. Rothko's choice of subject, a nude female figure, may be seen as a commentary on the objectification of women in art and society. We might research how his work challenges the established norms within the art world and society, by looking at letters, exhibition catalogs, and critical reviews.