Mark Rothko - The Art of Conservation - MOCA U - MOCAtv

Mark Rothko’s (b. 1903, Russia; d. 1970, New York) paintings are vast fields of color that radiate from immense, life-size canvases. They are among those most frequently sought out works by MOCA visitors, and a cornerstone of the museum's collection. Noted for their material complexity—an unconventional paint mixture which includes eggs and glues, layered upon fabric canvases studiously constructed to avoid physical traces of pressure—they are particularly sensitive to light. Go behind the scenes with conservator Tatyana Thompson as she prepares MOCA's collection of thirteen Rothko paintings for exhibition, and preserves their greatness for future generations.

Artwork credits (in order of appearance)

Mark Rothko
No. 9 (Dark over Light Earth/Violet and Yellow in Rose), 1954
No. 61 (Rust and Blue) [Brown Blue, Brown on Blue], 1953
No. 46 [Black, Ochre, Red Over Red], 1957
Black on Dark Sienna on Purple, 1960
Purple Brown, 1957
No. 301 (Reds and Violet over Red/Red and Blue over Red) [Red and Blue over Red], 1959
All oil on canvas
The Panza Collection

Mark Rothko
Yellow and Orange, 1949
Oil on canvas
The Rita and Taft Schreiber Collection
Given in loving memory of her husband, Taft Schreiber, by Rita Schreiber

(c) 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York