Red, Orange, Orange on Red, 1962
Red, Orange, Orange on Red is an oil on canvas art piece designed and created by Mark Rothko. The design, style, and technique are all depicted by the artist's choice of name for this piece. The name describes layering, which is observable from the painting. It indicates a mix of colour blends applied randomly but thoughtfully to create an abstract piece. It seems to be expressing a range of thoughts and emotions that the artist may have been going through at the time of this creation.
The Technique Used on Red, Orange, Orange on Red
The technique depicted on this painting, titled Red, Orange, Orange on Red, symbolizes either the setting of the sun or a new dawn, the beginning of something new. On the lower side of the painting, a floating field is depicted by the tangerine orange hue bound by an area of a bright acidic pigment of orange. At the top part, the floating tangerine orange field is bound by a distinct line or red.
The artist has stained the canvas using a number of thin pigment layers to create an effect that conjures the shimmering brightness of morning dawn or setting sun. Rothko's compositions use the elegant candour of straight-lined forms to communicate a range of human emotions. The artist was a firm believer in human emotions, describing them as timeless and tragic.
The Inspiration Behind Red, Orange, Orange on Red
Mark Rothko derived his inspiration from the majestic state of nature and the ongoing drama that filled it. In this painting, the artist wraps the spectator in an enveloping light that he gradually became renown for in his works. The artist depicts nature majestically in Red, Orange, Orange on Red with a magnificent blend of colour pigments that the human mind correlates to specific occurrences. Still, there is some mystery that remains in this abstract painting that leaves the audience's imagination to take its pick. This allows the spectator to recreate the artists' intentions and combine them with the emotions they experience when viewing this piece.
Rothko valued personal experiences and tried to create an individualistic feel to those who would view his art. One of his greatest fears during his entire career was to have his creations observed as purely decorative. He intended to have each painting create more profound meaning in the viewer's eyes. His choice of colours in this piece seems to glow from deep within. Red, Orange, Orange on Red is part of his colour field painting collection.