The artwork, titled “Green and Tangerine on Red,” was created by Mark Rothko in 1956. This piece is an exemplar of the Color Field Painting movement and falls within the abstract genre. In the artwork, Rothko employs large, unified fields of color to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
The composition features two large, rectangular blocks of color set against a subtly hued background. The upper portion of the artwork exhibits a dark green block, with its edges softly blending into the surrounding space. Below it, a vibrant tangerine rectangle occupies the lower half, its lively hue providing a stark contrast to the more muted tones above. The interplay between the boldness of the tangerine and the depth of the green, all set on a red-hued canvas, exemplifies Rothko’s mastery in manipulating color to create a profound visual and emotional experience. The soft, blurred boundaries between the blocks enhance the sense of depth and movement within the otherwise static composition.