No 61 (Rust and Blue)

medium: oil on canvas.
size: 115 x 92 cm.
Location: Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, CA, US

Like other Rothko’s works of the abstract period, «№61» consists of large color fields located at a foggy background of a similar shade. The unusual effect of immersion in the inner space of the picture is achieved thanks to several layers of paint, skillfully put on each other in order to create the effect of depth and barely noticeable scintillation. When looking at this work, many people get a feeling that the paint slowly flows over the surface, not down, as usually, but up. Bright blue and deep burgundy shades of brown enhance this mystical effect, making an indelible impression on the viewer.