“White Over Red” is a seminal piece of abstract art by Mark Rothko, created in 1957. The artwork belongs to the Color Field Painting movement, which is characterized by large areas of a single color or simple combinations of color, devoid of figurative or recognisable imagery. Rothko’s composition is emblematic of this genre, focusing on the emotional resonance of color.
The artwork itself features two distinct rectangular blocks of color set against a colored background. Dominating the canvas is an expansive field of white pigment, layered directly over a broad band of deep red. Both rectangles are softly blended at the edges, allowing the viewer’s eye to perceive an almost ethereal transition between the forms and the surrounding vivid red backdrop. The boundaries are gently diffused, and the colors seem to hover over the canvas, giving the artwork a sense of depth and introspection. In true Rothko fashion, the piece evokes an emotional response through its simplicity and the interplay of colors, which interacting with each other and the viewer’s perception, define the essence of the artwork.