Study of Heads [verso] 

Mark Rothko made this sketch, Study of Heads, with graphite on paper. Rothko, who emigrated from Russia to the United States as a child, began his artistic career during a period of significant social upheaval, including the Great Depression and the rise of totalitarian regimes in Europe. This sketch hints at the artist's earlier figurative explorations, before his signature color field paintings. You can see the ghostly outlines of heads, seemingly emerging from a chaotic mass of lines, with the barest suggestion of form and volume. These figures seem to float in an undefined space. Rothko once said, "I'm not interested in the relationship of color or form or anything else. I'm interested only in expressing basic human emotions — tragedy, ecstasy, doom." Even in this early sketch, one can sense Rothko's interest in expressing the complexities of human emotion. The ambiguity of the figures allows viewers to project their own experiences onto the artwork, creating a personal and emotional connection.