Rothko Paintings And Basquiat Paintings

By Darren Hartley


Well known for their images featuring large and luminous color blocks, Rothko paintings are classified as abstract expressionist pieces. The forms, figures and color created by Mark Rothko are what his many paintings are well known for.

The first Rothko paintings were oriented towards social themes with expressionist and surrealist undertones. Their subjects were reflections of the influence of Max Weber, who provided Mark with first hand knowledge and enthusiasm for European modernism. Another artist who influenced Mark's work was Marc Chagall.

The urban scenes and landscapes were often focal points for Rothko paintings. Figurative works were also part and parcel of these creations. Showcasing an expressive side to the art of Mark was his rough application of paint, a technique would later be the distinctive style for which he would become most known for during the course of his artistic 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.

The mind of a prodigal genius with flashes of an early style is displayed in Basquiat paintings. There are standard art forms found in these works, including the ubiquitous trademark crown as well as the black background and mirrored images, boxers and skulls. The key to the complete output of Basquiat, numbering to more than 2,000 from the ages of 19 to 27, is held by the early Basquiat drawings.




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