Characterized by bright bands of horizontal colors painted on enormous canvases, Mark Rothko (1903 – 1970) introduced a new form of Abstractionism into the art world which was created to engulf viewers in the work. Giving “Violet, Green and Red” an ambiguous name so that viewers would not be influenced, Rothko utilized a spare palette with the darkest shades placed at the top to symbolize the mental depression which plagued him. Rothko’s masterful use of color powerfully conveyed an intimate, intense message without subject matter and adhered to his credo that a good painting must have a deep meaning rooted in concepts of mortality and spirituality.

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