The artwork entitled “Untitled (Yellow, Red and Blue)” was created by Mark Rothko in 1953 and stands as a quintessential example of Color Field Painting, an influential style within the abstract art genre. Rothko’s piece is emblematic of this movement, where large expanses of unbroken color encourage an intimate and contemplative viewer experience.
The artwork exemplifies Rothko’s signature style involving large blocks of color that appear to float against a hazy, undefined background. In this work, three horizontally oriented rectangles of color dominate the composition. The topmost block is a vibrant yellow, which transitions into a rich, warm red below it. The bottom rectangle is a deep blue, grounding the composition with a cooler hue. The edges of these rectangles are soft and slightly blurred, which allows the colors to seem as though they are merging with one another and with the surrounding space. The verticality of the painting and the stratification of colors can induce in the viewer a sense of calm or even a meditative state, reflective of the aims of the Color Field movement to evoke emotion through chromatic interactions. The artwork achieves a sense of depth and resonance through Rothko’s use of layering, with thin veils of paint superimposed to create a luminous effect.
