Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea

medium: oil on canvas.
Located in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Size: 191,4×215,2 cm.

The work is typical for the surrealistic period of Mark Rothko. In this work, there is a noticeable influence of Joan Miro, whose work he admired, especially of his painting “Family”. Ghostly translucent figures in the foreground, resembling strange aliens, who slowly move, circling and dancing in a swirling stream. Despite its “alienity”, the figures fit quite harmoniously into the surrounding landscape, depicted in soft, yellow and ocher tones, and the whole painting evokes a feeling of lightness, weightlessness and romantic dance.