Entrance to the Subway (1938) by Mark Rothko represents one of the most significant moments of his figurative phase, before his famous turn towards colour field abstraction. The work shows an urban scene dominated by the massive architecture of the stairs leading down to the subway, a recurring element of everyday New York life in the 1930s. The figures, stylised and motionless, seem suspended in a silent, almost estranged atmosphere, as if absorbed by the monumentality of the space around them.
The sombre palette – greys, browns and muted tones – amplifies the sense of solitude typical of the modern metropolis, while the geometric lines and simplified perspectives reveal Rothko's interest in composition and in an emotional rather than descriptive rendering of the scene. The work anticipates the inner quest that would characterise all his later output, turning an everyday subject into an image charged with introspection.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
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