Abstract Expressionism & Color Field · 1903–1970 · American

Mark Rothko

Rothko built his fields of color from thin, layered washes, so the edges blur and the color seems to glow from within. He wanted viewers to stand close, surrounded by the color.

Across 3 works, the colors are mostly orange (41%), brown (24%) and yellow (12%). On average the canvases are light, vivid and warm. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: light scarlet orange, light scarlet, dark violet, dark red and scarlet.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 025 light scarlet orange 18.2% of canvas
• MG 023 light scarlet 7.9% of canvas
• MG 024 scarlet 6.2% of canvas
• MG 020 dark red 6.2% of canvas
• MG 033 light amber 5.9% of canvas
• MG 026 scarlet orange 4.3% of canvas
• MG 035 pale amber 4.2% of canvas
• MG 151 light reddish tan 4.1% of canvas
• MG 028 light scarlet orange 3.9% of canvas
• MG 144 dark crimson sienna 3.2% of canvas
• MG 032 light orange amber 2.7% of canvas
• MG 215 grey 2.6% of canvas
• MG 173 putty 2.5% of canvas
• MG 172 oatmeal 2.2% of canvas
• MG 029 light orange 2.0% of canvas
• MG 174 warm grey 1.9% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.63

Contrast

0.23

Vividness

0.099

Warmth

+1.00

Complexity

65 cells

Hue range

0.35

Focus

0.08

Works

• Number 19, 1949
• Untitled (Painting), 1953–1954
• Untitled (Purple, White, and Red), 1953