The Annotated Mona Lisa: Pages 166 - 167

Question 1

Rothko: Blurred Rectangles

Answer 1

• Mark Rothko (1903-70)
• interested in the relation between one color and another
• as he slipped into depression and alcoholism, his paintings became dark and melancholy, losing their hushed, calm aura

Question 2

Newman: Zip Strips

Answer 2

• Barnett Newman (1905-70)
• gave up texture, brushwork, drawing, shading, and perspective for flat fields of pure color sliced by one or two off-center strips
• tried to find innovative visual equivalents for his mystical concerns

Question 3

Frankenthaler: Stain Painting

Answer 3

• Helen Frankenthaler (b. 1928)

- combined Pollock’s methods and John Marin’s watercolors in her art

Question 4

Louis: Veils and Variations

Answer 4

• Morris Louis (1912-62)
• his worked based off of Frankenthaler
• trademark was the “veil” painting