Mark Rothko [Hardcover]

Marjorie Cohn (Author), Eliza Rathbone (Author), Fondation Beyeler (Editor), Mark Rothko (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 2001

Mark Rothko is one of the towering figures of Abstract Expressionism, and of twentieth-century painting as a whole. His paintings, predominantly in a large format and featuring horizontal layers of pigment on a monochrome foundation, occupy a permanent place in our collective pictorial memory as an epitome of heroic Modernism. This beautifully produced oversize monograph presents over 100 of his works in full-color plates. By considering Rothko's central groups of works from all creative periods--among them the Rothko Room in the Phillips Collection and the Harvard Murals at Harvard University--this book documents the artist's struggle to arrive at "a consummated experience between picture and onlooker." Rothko's adamant insistence on controlling the presentation of his works set him apart from the art scene as early as the 1950s. His pictures were to be hung closely together in small rooms, in which soft lighting and imposing scale were to provide an immediate viewing experience. This book attempts to recreate that atmosphere with a large, uninterrupted plate section that brings to life the vibrancy and power of these paintings. In addition to more than 100 color works, Mark Rothko includes essays about specific groups of work, an extensive, year by year, descriptive chronology of his life and work, and an exhaustive bibliography of writings about him from the past five years. It is an essential addition to any collection on twentieth-century art.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Rothko's most famous paintings are profoundly contemplative works, rectangles of vibrant color that seem lit from within and that are full of subtle energy and life, like the sky or the surface of a lake. This handsome retrospective catalog of his work, which includes his early representational paintings as well as his harmonic abstractions, has been published in conjunction with a major traveling exhibition of his work and contains more than 100 colorplates. Weiss has wisely placed the art before the commentary, allowing readers to absorb the quiet impact of Rothko's work before seeking explanations of the man and his still controversial creations in essays by Weiss, John Cage, Barbara Novak and Brian O'Doherty, and Carol Mancusi-Ungaro. Interviews with painters Ellsworth Kelly, Gerhard Richter, and Robert Ryman attest to Rothko's tremendous influence, and a detailed chronology tracks his rise to prominence, his steadily deteriorating health, and his suicide in 1970. Weiss' book succeeds in embracing the beauty, mystery, and sorrow of Rothko's vision. Donna Seaman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jeffrey Weiss is associate curator of twentieth-century art at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. He is the author of The Popular Culture of Modern Art: Picasso, Duchamp, and Avant-Gardism, 1909-1917, published by Yale University Press. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 204 pages
• Publisher: Hatje Cantz Publishers (June 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3775710272
• ISBN-13: 978-3775710275
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 11.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #873,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful, February 13, 2000

By 

Rebecca J. Siwicki "Cookin', cleaning, readin... (Shelby Township, Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mark Rothko (Hardcover)

I completely disagree with the earlier review about the quality of reproductions in this work. The colors are stunning, and this book is so well organized and detailed that it makes it a real pleasure to dive into. Nothing can compare to seeing these inspirational works in person, but if you saw the show, you have to have this book. If you missed the show, you have to have this book. Lose yourself in these paintings and you will find so much...personal revelation, power and resolve. Its a must-own for the true Rothko fan.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utter Beauty, May 10, 2000

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"saitchy" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mark Rothko (Hardcover)

Yes, the reviewer who commented on the quality of the prints needs to get their specs looked at. This book is wonderfully produced, from the quality of the printing to the quality of the paper. It will sit alongside Anfan's wonderful catalogue raisonee on my shelves. I only wish I had followed my urge to hop on the Eurostar train from London to Paris on a day trip to see the exhibition. The last full Rothko exhibition I saw was in London in 1987, a mind expanding experience. This book is a world better than the catalogue of that exhibition and is definitely a must for any Rothko admirer. I will be in the Rothko room of the new Tate Modern gallery almost every day.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful book of color reproductions, September 22, 2004

By 

Lameass Lass (Savage, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mark Rothko (Hardcover)

rothko was prolific, and it would be hard to get everything in one book, but here you will certainly find pieces from beginning to end. i personally appreciate seeing the progression of an artist's work; it's so much more informative than a random assemblage of pieces that "look pretty," although this book is that too. my copy appears quite true in its reproduction of the paintings, and i highly recommend it for the range and quality of the work.