the collector's folio

Mark Rothko Most Popular Paintings

The 25 artworks by Mark Rothko our visitors ask for most, ranked by popularity and presented one by one, with the specification and the price of each hand-painted reproduction.

Edition 2026 · 25 artworks Each artwork painted to order
Linen canvas · Certificate of authenticity · Delivered worldwide Mark Rothko · 1903 – 1970

White Center

1950 · original 206 x 141 cm

Explore Mark Rothko’s ‘White Center,’ a seminal Color Field masterpiece. Experience its minimalist beauty & emotional depth – a timeless addition for art lovers & collectors.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 1 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17726 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$992141 × 206 cm Commission at original size

No.1

View the most popular artwork of Mark Rothko ranked #2: No.1

Experience Mark Rothko’s ‘No.1’ – a vibrant abstract expressionist masterpiece! Bold colors, dynamic composition & emotional depth. Perfect for modern interiors.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 2 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17729 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Orange and yellow

1956

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 3 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17728 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

Three

Explore Mark Rothko’s "Three" – a powerful Color Field Expressionist masterpiece featuring deep reds & blacks. Discover the emotional depth of this iconic 1951 artwork.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 4 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17739 × 25 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled

1968 · Kunstmuseum Den Haag, The Hague

Experience the profound serenity of Mark Rothko's 1968 Abstract Expressionist masterpiece featuring luminous yellow bands against deep indigo blue, inviting you to explore this meditative exploration of color and light.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 5 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17726 × 39 cm Commission this artwork

Blue and gray

1970 · National Gallery of Art, Washington · original 203 x 176 cm

Experience Mark Rothko's 'Blue and Gray,' a powerful color field painting evoking contemplation and mortality. Explore the interplay of blue & gray at the National Gallery of Art.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 6 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17730 × 33 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1185176 × 203 cm Commission at original size

No.61 (Rust and Blue)

1953

Explore Mark Rothko’s ‘No.61 (Rust & Blue)’ – a seminal Color Field painting. Discover its emotional depth, minimalist design, and impact on 20th-century art.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 7 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17728 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled

1949 · original 204 x 169 cm

Mark Rothko's 'Untitled' (1949) explodes with saturated colors – yellow, plum, and black – creating a dynamic vertical composition of rectangles and bands. Explore the artist’s emotive abstraction and early exploration of color field painting.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 8 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17729 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$1149169 × 204 cm Commission at original size

No. 21

1949 · MOMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York City · original 203 x 100 cm

Deep crimson and muted indigo blocks evoke profound existential emotion in Mark Rothko's 1949 Color Field masterpiece No. 21, inviting you to explore the luminous depth of this iconic abstract expressionist work.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 9 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17723 × 44 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$740100 × 203 cm Commission at original size

No. 16

1960 · Metropolitan Museum of Art, new york · original 259 x 304 cm

A profound symphony of crimson and azure captures the emotional depth of Mark Rothko's 1960 Abstract Expressionist masterpiece, inviting you to explore the sublime power of color field painting for your collection.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 10 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17734 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

No.3/No.13

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 11 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17727 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled 142

Explore Mark Rothko's Untitled 142 – a monumental Color Field painting embodying somber hues and existential contemplation. Discover its historical context, symbolic interpretation & minimalist technique at WikiOO.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 12 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 33 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled

1970 · National Gallery of Art, Washington

Experience Mark Rothko's Untitled – a monumental Color Field painting embodying somber hues and existential contemplation. Explore its historical context & minimalist technique at WikiOO.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 13 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 32 cm Commission this artwork

Four Darks in Red

1958

Explore Mark Rothko’s ‘Four Darks in Red,’ a seminal abstract expressionist masterpiece. Experience its layered reds & blacks, emotional depth, and lasting artistic legacy.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 14 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17734 × 30 cm Commission this artwork

No.10

1950

Experience the profound emotional depth of Mark Rothko's 1950 masterpiece No. 10, a luminous color field painting featuring vibrant yellow and blue stripes that invites you to bring this iconic Abstract Expressionist work home.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 15 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17725 × 40 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled 14

Mark Rothko

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 16 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17728 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled (18)

Explore Mark Rothko's 'Untitled (18)' – a haunting surrealist masterpiece brimming with emotional depth and symbolic layers. Witness the interplay of figures, colors, and textures in this iconic work.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 17 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17736 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Black on Maroon

1959 · Tate Modern, London

A profound exploration of loss through deep maroon and stark black rectangles, this 1958 Abstract Expressionist masterpiece by Mark Rothko invites you to experience the emotional depth of his iconic color field painting.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 18 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17730 × 34 cm Commission this artwork

No. 9

View the most popular artwork of Mark Rothko ranked #19: No. 9

1948 · National Gallery of Art, Washington

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 19 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17730 × 34 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled

1950 · original 110 x 126 cm

A profound exploration of emotion through muted yellow and brown hues with a bold crimson border, this 1950 Color Field masterpiece by Mark Rothko invites you to immerse yourself in its ethereal, meditative atmosphere.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 20 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17734 × 30 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$553126 × 110 cm Commission at original size

Untitled 21

The painting embodies Rothko's signature style – monumental blocks of color layered upon each other to evoke profound emotional resonance. Its dominant hues of red and blue aim to capture the essence of human experience, inviting contemplation on themes of passion and sorrow.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 21 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17729 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

No. 10 (Brown Black Sienna on Dark Wine

Explore Mark Rothko's masterpiece, No. 10 (Brown Black Sienna on Dark Wine), a seminal Abstract Expressionist painting celebrated for its meditative color fields and profound emotional resonance.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 22 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17731 × 33 cm Commission this artwork

Untitled 60

Experience Rothko's iconic Color Field painting – a mesmerizing exploration of darkness and light through rectangular forms. A profound meditation on mortality and the human condition, perfect for art lovers and collectors.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 23 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17737 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Magenta, Black, Green on Orange

mark rothko

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 24 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17728 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

White over Red

Explore Mark Rothko’s "White over Red," a minimalist Color Field masterpiece. Discover its serene composition & bold color palette – a captivating example of Abstract Expressionism.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 25 of 479 artworks by Mark Rothko
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17729 × 34 cm Commission this artwork

The artist

Mark Rothko

1903 – 1970

Quick facts

Creative periodsmature period
Top 3 worksWhite Center, No.1, Orange and yellow
Works on APS479
Typical colorsearthy, dark
Gift suitabilityanniversary, corporate gift
Corpus themesexistentialism, rothko legacy, trauma, color field, abstract expressionism
Art periodModern
Color intensitybalanced, vivid

Biography

The Early Life of Mark Rothko

Mark Rothko was born Markus Yakovlevich Rothkowitz in 1903. He was born in Dvinsk, Russia, in a place now known as Daugavpils, Latvia. His family lived within the Pale of Settlement, a region marked by political unrest and the constant shadow of pogroms. This atmosphere of instability followed the family when they emigrated to the United States in 1913. After passing through Ellis Island, they settled in Portland, Oregon.

His father, Jacob, worked as a pharmacist. He was an intellectual man with socialist leanings who fostered a home centered on learning and debate. This environment of deep thought was interrupted by a sudden loss. Shortly after the family arrived in America, Jacob died from colon cancer. This early experience of grief and the struggle of the immigrant experience became a quiet foundation for the man he would become.

Artistic Training and Early Years in New York

The move to New York City in 1923 brought a shift in focus. After time spent at Yale University, the pull of the city led him away from formal academics. He sought out the Art Students League to refine his practice. During these early years, his brush was occupied with the tangible. He painted portraits and urban scenes, applying a careful attention to detail to the faces of people and the grit of city streets. The work was grounded in realism, capturing the physical world before the shift toward abstraction took hold.

By 1940, he made the decision to change his name to Mark Rothko. This was a period of transition, moving away from the structured representation of his youth. The focus began to drift from the recognizable objects of the city toward something less defined. He was searching for a way to express the weight of human experience without relying on the literal shapes of the world around him.

Evolution Toward Abstract Expressionism

As the 1940s progressed, the careful realism of his earlier years began to recede. The focus shifted away from the recognizable details of urban scenes and portraits. Instead, he turned toward the language of Surrealism and mythology. He used these themes to find a way to express the weight of human emotion. The paintings from this period often featured biomorphic shapes. These forms seemed to float, caught in a state of being neither fully figures nor entirely abstract.

This period marked his association with the American abstract expressionism movement. He moved away from the structured world of objects to explore something more internal. The canvases became less about what a thing looked like and more about the feeling it carried. He was searching for a way to communicate the complexities of the human condition through shape and myth.

Mother and Child (1934)
The Pugilist
The High Priest (1945)

The Development of Color Field Painting

By the late 1940s, the work began to change. He moved away from the shapes of figures and the stories of mythology, stripping away recognizable imagery to find something more direct. The canvases grew in scale, occupied by large, rectangular blocks of color that seemed to hover. These forms did not sit on the surface but appeared to exist within a shallow, breathing space. This shift marked the beginning of his mature period, a time closely linked to the emergence of Color Field painting.

The application of paint was a slow, layered process. He used thin washes of pigment to build up the surface, creating subtle shifts in tone and texture. These layers allowed light to appear as if it were coming from within the canvas itself. The edges of the colored shapes were never sharp; instead, they were blurred and soft, making the boundaries between different hues feel permeable. This method turned the canvas into a place of quiet, heavy presence.

No. 1
Three
No. 3/No. 13
No. 10 (Brown Black Sienna on Dark Wine)
Magenta, Black, Green on Orange
White over Red

Technique and the Language of Color

The work relies on a specific, quiet method of layering. He applied thin washes of oil paint, building up the surface through meticulous, translucent layers. This process creates a velvety texture that seems to hold light within the pigment rather than just reflecting it from the surface. Instead of sharp lines, the edges of his rectangular forms are blurred, allowing colors to bleed and hover against one another. These large blocks of color are meant to create a sense of depth, making the canvas appear to breathe.

He stripped away titles that might suggest a specific subject or narrative. Many canvases carry only simple numbers, such as No. 1 or No. 6, leaving the viewer to face the color without any preconceived ideas. This choice forces a direct encounter with the paint. He used these luminous fields to reach for specific, heavy human emotions: tragedy, ecstasy, and despair. The scale of the works is intended to envelop the person standing before them, turning the act of looking into a silent, immersive experience.

No. 10 (Brown Black Sienna on Dark Wine)
No. 37 or No. 19
White over Red

Major Commissions and Mural Projects

Rothko’s work often moved beyond the individual canvas to occupy entire rooms. He spent significant time on the Seagram murals, a series of paintings intended for a New York restaurant. He eventually decided the setting was not right for the work and donated them to the Tate Gallery in London. His interest in how color occupies a space also led to the Harvard Mural series, which was created for a dining room at the Holyoke Center.

In Houston, Texas, he left behind fourteen paintings for the Rothko Chapel. This non-denominational space contains works in varying shades of black. The paintings are arranged to sit within the architecture of the chapel, creating a specific environment for quiet reflection. The scale of these works is meant to meet the viewer where they stand, filling the peripheral vision with color.

Later Years and Tragic Death

The weight of his own work often seemed to press heavily upon him. Throughout his life, Rothko struggled with depression, a persistent shadow that accompanied his search for emotional truth. He lived a modest existence, often retreating into the quiet spaces required for his large-scale canvases. The intensity of his focus on the human condition—tragedy, ecstasy, and despair—was not merely a subject for the brush, but a reality he carried within himself.

By the end of his life, the struggle became too much to bear. On February 25, 1970, Rothko died by suicide in his studio. He was 66 years old. His death left behind a vast collection of works, including many that remained unfinished or were part of the large estate of paintings that his family and executors would later navigate through complex legal disputes.

The Lasting Legacy of His Art

The weight of his presence remains in the way his canvases occupy a room. He left behind an estate containing 798 paintings, a vast collection that continues to anchor modern art history. His shift toward large, luminous rectangles of color helped define the Abstract Expressionism movement and later influenced the Minimalist movement. These works do not rely on recognizable shapes to hold a viewer's attention; instead, they rely on the slow, rhythmic breathing of color to create a sense of depth.

His influence is felt in the way subsequent generations approached the canvas as a space for psychological and spiritual exploration. By stripping away narrative clutter, he changed how people interact with the physical reality of paint. His paintings are recognized as some of the most significant works of 20th-century art, often found in the permanent collections of major institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Tate Modern in London. The scale of his work often swallows the peripheral vision, forcing a quiet, meditative stillness.

No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red)
Orange, Red, Yellow (1961)
N.10 (1958)

Where to See His Works Today

To stand before his canvases is to experience the weight of color in a quiet room. In New York, the Museum of Modern Art holds several of his works. Across the Atlantic, the Tate Modern in London offers a similar space to sit with his large-scale forms. In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art keeps a collection of his paintings, where the light hits the layered pigments in a way that reveals the depth he sought through thin washes of oil.

There is a specific stillness found in the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas. It is a non-denominational space containing fourteen of his paintings in varying shades of black. The architecture of the building, an octagon inscribed in a Greek cross, was influenced by the artist himself. It remains a place for quiet reflection, where the scale of the works is meant to envelop the person standing before them.

In Daugavpils, Latvia, the Rothko Museum is housed within the historic artillery arsenal building of the Daugavpils fortress. This institution is the only place in Europe that permanently displays original paintings on loan from his estate. Visitors can find his work in the Rothko Room, a space designed to hold these specific canvases in a setting that honors his origins.

No. 1 (undated)
Three (undated)
No. 3/No. 13 (undated)
No. 10 (undated)
Magenta, Black, Green on Orange (undated)
White over Red (undated)

Questions & Answers

What are the birthplace and birth year of Mark Rothko?

Mark Rothko was born in Daugavpils in 1903.

Can I browse Mark Rothko's works by mood?

Mark Rothko's works can be browsed by mood on the artist's Mood Room page, which arranges the artworks by their recorded moods.

What are the birth city and country of Mark Rothko?

Mark Rothko was born in Daugavpils, in Latvia.

By the WikiOO.org Editorial Team Updated Oct. 12, 2026

Collector's quiz

In which country was Mark Rothko born?
What was the profession of Mark Rothko's father, Jacob?
Which art movement is Mark Rothko's mature period associated with?
Where is the Rothko Chapel located?
Which of these was a major mural project completed by Rothko?

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