Paintings Of Rothko And Basquiat

By Darren Hartley


Rothko paintings are abstract expressionist pieces, well known for their images featuring large and luminous color blocks. Mark Rothko is most well known for the forms, figures and great color creation he delivered in the many paintings he created.

An orientation towards social themes with expressionist and surrealist undertones was characteristic of the first Rothko paintings. The influence of Max Weber was reflected in the subjects Mark chose for his paintings. Max provided Mark with first hand knowledge and enthusiasm for European modernism. Marc Chagall was another artist who had a great influence on Mark's art work.

The frequent focal points for Rothko paintings were urban scenes and landscapes. Other than this, Mark's creations also included figurative works. His rough application of paint showcased the expressive side to the art of Rothko. This technique would later emerge as the distinctive style for which he would become vastly popular through the whole course of his impressive career.

A patron of Basquiat paintings is sucked in and carried along an often intricate and complex journey through a maze of references. While often times the journey made little rational sense, a patron is nevertheless made to feel there is a need for him to take it. Because they cover everything from the inner city kids' game called skellys to Sugar Ray Robinson, Miles Davis and Da Vinci, Basquiat paintings prove to be mesmerizing, dense and full.

Perfectly placed streams of consciousness colliding with iconic images of crowns and skulls, actual words, etched in scrawl, takes primacy in Basquiat paintings. Compared to some of Basquiat's works, they prove to be a bit less dark. Studying the work will find a patron getting lost in the collision for hours and hours.

Basquiat paintings take his patrons into the mind of a prodigal genius with flashes of an early style. Always present in these works is the ubiquitous trademark crown as well as the black background and mirrored images, boxers and skulls. The early Basquiat drawings hold the key to all his work, numbering to more than 2,000 from the ages of 19 to 27.




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