Two Figures Standing Underneath a Shelter [recto] 

Mark Rothko made this pen and ink drawing, Two Figures Standing Underneath a Shelter, on paper, likely in the 1930s or 40s. It shows a simple shelter with two figures standing beneath. Rothko, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, came of age in the United States during the Great Depression. Art of this time was often socially engaged and this work may reflect that, but without a specific date, it is hard to make definitive claims. The shelter could be a bus stop, a beach cabana, or even a breadline. During the 1930s, in particular, the theme of the alienated individual became common, reflecting societal anxieties about economic hardship and social displacement. The image’s open-ended meaning reflects Rothko’s own ambivalence about institutions and the social order. Further research into the artist's life and the cultural context of the era would help us better understand the intended meaning of the drawing. Rothko’s personal writings, period newspapers, and government documents would provide valuable insights into the social and political landscape that shaped this work.