Standing Man [verso] c. 1930s

This Standing Man was made by Mark Rothko, using ink on paper. Look how Rothko lays down these incredibly direct marks, describing the human form with such immediacy. It feels like he’s really letting the process lead him. You can almost see the ink bleeding into the paper, creating these soft, blurry edges. The way the dark ink contrasts with the bare paper gives the figure a ghostly, ethereal quality. It's like the figure is emerging from nothing, or maybe dissolving back into it. I'm especially drawn to the head, or what's left of it, just a curve, a suggestion of a skull. It reminds me a little of Guston's late work, especially in its use of simple forms to convey profound emotions. But while Guston is all about density and weight, Rothko is more about lightness and suggestion. It shows you that art is not just about what you see, but about the experience of seeing.