Who was Mark Rothko and what were some of his famous paintings and works of art?

Mark Rothko was an American painter known for his contributions to the abstract expressionism movement in the mid-20th century. Born in Latvia in 1903, Rothko immigrated to the United States with his family as a child and went on to study art in New York City. He developed his signature style of large, abstract canvases with blocks of color and soft edges throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Rothko saw his art as a form of meditation, meant to evoke emotional responses in viewers.

Some of Rothko's most famous paintings include his color field paintings, such as the Rothko Chapel and the Seagram Murals, which feature large blocks of color that blend together to create a sense of depth and intensity. Other notable works include the Untitled (Black on Gray) and No. 61 (Rust and Blue), both of which showcase Rothko's use of bold, contrasting colors to create a dramatic effect.