Trees Near Stone Wall and Shed 

Mark Rothko made this small graphite drawing called, "Trees Near Stone Wall and Shed." Notice how Rothko composes the scene using a network of lines. The textures of stone and foliage are depicted through clusters of short strokes, creating a rich, varied surface. Vertical lines of the trees divide the composition. These linear forms contrast with the more chaotic shapes of the trees, and the geometric rigidity of the shed and stone wall. Rothko uses this tension between organic and geometric to explore the relationship between the natural and the built environment. This echoes the broader modernist concerns with abstraction. The drawing challenges the viewer to find balance between representation and pure form. Consider how the visual structure of "Trees Near Stone Wall and Shed" invites us to contemplate the underlying forms that shape our perception and understanding of the world.