Studies of a Head [verso]
1901 to 1925
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
(drawing)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc.
Accession Number
1986.56.501.b
Art Historical Context
Mark Rothko's *Studies of a Head [verso]*, a delicate drawing from around 1901–1925, offers a rare glimpse into the early artistic explorations of one of the 20th century's most influential abstract painters. Created during Rothko's formative years—likely as a young immigrant in America after his family's move from Russia in 1913—this piece captures the artist's initial focus on figurative studies. The verso (back side) of the sheet reveals thoughtful sketches of a human head, rendered with pencil or similar dry medium, showcasing his developing command of form, proportion, and expression. Wh...
About the Artist
Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko (born Marcus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz, September 25, 1903 – February 25, 1970) stands as one of the most influential figures in twentieth-century American art and a central pioneer of Abstract Expressionism. Born into a Jewish family in Dvinsk (now Daugavpils, Latvia), then part of the Russian Empire, Rothko's early life was marked by the fear and persecution faced by Jews in Tsarist Rus...