Mark Rothko
A Life Shaped by Displacement Mark Rothko arrived in the United States as a young boy, part of a family moving from Dvinsk, Latvia, to Portland, Oregon, in 1913. His early years were marked by the heavy atmosphere of the Pale of Settlement, where his family lived amidst political unrest and the fear of pogroms. This sense of instability followed him across the ocean. The loss of his father, Jacob, shortly after their arrival in Americ…
The Lifeline
Scroll through Mark Rothko's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups Mark Rothko's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.