Focus on Black on Maroon and explain the Composition.
The painting comes from a series of three canvases painted by Rothko in 1958–59, produced in the Seagram murals commission for The Four Seasons Restaurant, in New York's Seagram Building on Park Avenue.
Rothko's original conception for the work became increasingly sombre. He later said, "After I had been at work for some time I realised that I was much influenced subconsciously by Michelangelo's walls in the staircase room of the Medicean Library in Florence. He achieved just the kind of feeling I'm after ..."The murals were eventually withheld from installation at the restaurant, reportedly because Rothko did not think it was an appropriate setting for the works. In 1965 he suggested making them a gift to the Tate Gallery; this was finalised in 1969. On the day of their delivery in 1970, Rothko was found dead in his studio.
The Four Seasons Restaurant Florence Seagram murals Seagram Building Michelangelo Tate Four Seasons Restaurant Medicean Library Tate Gallery New York Park Avenue