“Untitled (Three Nudes)” is an artwork created by Mark Rothko between 1933 and 1934, positioned within the Expressionism movement. This piece is a nude painting that utilizes oil on cloth as its medium. The artwork can be found within the collection of the National Gallery of Art located in Washington, DC, United States.
The artwork presents three nude figures that appear to be engaged in a non-specific interaction. The composition and brushwork are characteristic of the Expressionist approach, where emotional experience takes precedence over physical accuracy. The figures are rendered with a sense of dynamism and fluidity, allowing Rothko’s use of color and form to evoke a raw and immediate response in the viewer rather than a detailed representation.
The forms of the figures are abstracted in a manner that suggests movement and the play of light across their bodies. The background is composed of gestural strokes of color that set a dramatic tone, resonating with the emotional intensity often sought by artists of the Expressionist movement. The choice of a nude genre implies a vulnerability and timelessness, invoking themes of humanity and existence central to Rothko’s oeuvre, especially before his transition to his signature color field paintings.
