Two Figures behind a Railing, Room Interior with Beam [recto] 

This drawing was made by Mark Rothko, likely in the 1930s or 40s, using graphite on paper. It depicts a simple room interior with figures, sketched in a deliberately raw, almost childlike style. The material here is key. Rothko chose humble graphite, a common tool for sketching and preliminary studies, rather than the more ‘finished’ medium of paint. This choice emphasizes the immediacy of the creative process. The quick, almost frantic lines suggest a rapid translation of thought to paper. The sketch feels deliberately unfinished. It's as though Rothko is rejecting any highly skilled or precious art-making tradition, engaging instead with the directness and accessibility of drawing. Perhaps he wants to highlight the basic human need for expression, regardless of formal training. This drawing, in its very simplicity, invites us to consider the foundations of art itself. It reminds us that making can be an act of direct engagement with the world.