Auctions and Exhibitions

The Hypnotic Resonance of Rothko’s Dark and Meditative Palette

New York | 13 May

Mark Rothko’s ethereal Untitled, is a prime example from the abstract master’s mature corpus. Compositionally, Untitled offers serenity and contemplation; the subdued color scheme is a departure from Rothko’s earlier, brighter palette, and three black bars hover in the foreground, perfectly balanced on the vertical board, conjuring the twilight mystery the artist sought to impart in his paintings. Ahead of the live auction on 13 May, Head of New York’s Contemporary Art Department Grégoire Billault discusses what makes the work so intimate, and how Rothko’s style evolved in the last years of his life.

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