Mark Rothko: Toward Clarity

A pioneering exploration of Rothko’s deep and sustained engagement with the history of art While Mark Rothko (1903–1970) has long been considered a preeminent figure in 20th-century art, few publications have examined his work within the broader context of Western art, even though Rothko himself continuously sought it out as inspiration. Rothko had a profound interest in history and art history—including Greek and Roman mythology, Egyptian fables, Byzantine and early Italian gold-ground pai...