Untitled (Portland, Oregon)
1933
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
watercolor on watercolor paper
Dimensions
sheet: 38.1 × 49.05 cm (15 × 19 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc.
Accession Number
1986.43.214
Art Historical Context
Mark Rothko's *Untitled (Portland, Oregon)*, created in 1933, offers a glimpse into the early career of one of the 20th century's most influential abstract painters. At just 30 years old, Rothko was still developing his artistic voice, far from the monumental color field canvases that would later define his legacy in Abstract Expressionism. This modest watercolor on paper, measuring 15 × 19 5/16 inches, reflects his time in Portland, Oregon—likely capturing the city's essence through fluid, expressive brushwork typical of his pre-war explorations. Watercolor's translucent qualities suited Rot...
About the Artist
Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko (born Marcus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz, September 25, 1903 – February 25, 1970) stands as one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century American art and a central pioneer of Abstract Expressionism. Born into a Jewish family in Dvinsk (now Daugavpils, Latvia), then part of the Russian Empire, Rothko's early life was marked by the fear and persecution faced by Jews in Tsarist Rus...