Standing Female Nude [recto] 

Mark Rothko created this ink drawing, *Standing Female Nude*, on paper. The figure is outlined in thin, dark strokes, with the artist using hatching to suggest tone and volume. The composition is dominated by the nude, her hands raised near her face, with the sketchiness contributing to a sense of immediacy and vulnerability. The drawing’s power resides in its form. Rothko’s abstraction isn’t a complete rejection of figuration but rather a reduction to essential structures. The lines serve as signifiers, pointing to the human form while also becoming independent visual elements. We might consider how Rothko uses the nude figure as a framework to explore his interests in form, line, and the emotional potential of abstract shapes, prefiguring his later color field paintings. Note how the economical use of line directs our attention, and in doing so, the artwork invites continuous observation and varying interpretations over time.