The volume brings together eighteen texts written over a decade, spanning Rothko’s entire creative career, from the first urban psychodramas and figurative works of the 1930s to the neo-surrealist phase with the progressive deconstruction of the figure, from the famous Multiforms to the full maturity of his great classical color field paintings. Particular attention is paid to major public commissions, such as the murals for the Seagram Building and the spiritual Rothko Chapel, interpreted not only as paintings but as true experiential and meditative environments.

Alongside his best-known masterpieces, Christopher Rothko explores lesser-known aspects of the artist, including the relationship between painting and music, private and unexpected humor, late works from the Black and Grey cycles, and paper production. The result is a more intimate and human vision, capable of conveying the emotional complexity of an artist often perceived as austere and absolute.

In his afterword, Marco Cianchi emphasizes how the heart of Rothko’s research always remains the same: «Rothko has always been explicit that his art concerns the tragedy, destiny, and the drama of the human race. The aim of his art […] has always been to communicate these values to the viewer as directly as possible».

Mark Rothko. Dentro l’opera presents itself as a useful tool for scholars, enthusiasts, and visitors to the Florentine exhibition: an emotional and intellectual journey that allows us to approach Rothko’s work not as a formal enigma, but as a profound dialogue on human experience.