Study of Five Heads [recto] 

This is Mark Rothko’s "Study of Five Heads," a watercolour on paper. The painting presents a cluster of faces that seem to emerge from a hazy, undefined space. Rothko uses a palette of muted blues and reds, applied with loose, gestural brushstrokes, giving the work a sense of fluidity and ethereality. The composition lacks clear boundaries, blurring the distinction between the figures and the background. This ambiguity destabilizes traditional portraiture, where the subject is typically distinct and individualized. Instead, Rothko offers a more fragmented, abstract representation of human presence. The structural elements, like the repetition of horizontal lines and the soft blending of colours, invite contemplation on themes of collective identity and the dissolution of the self. Rothko challenges viewers to look beyond conventional representation and engage with the emotional and psychological dimensions of art.