Color Purity and Its Aesthetic Representations in the Paintings of Mark Rothko

Abstract

Abstract:

     The research entitled "Color Purity and Its Aesthetic Manifestations in the Paintings of Mark Rothko" examines the artist’s experience as an advanced model in abstract art, focusing on the manifestations of color purity as an aesthetic value that transcends the formal dimension toward perceptual and emotional levels. It also traces the influence of historical and artistic contexts, particularly the transformations following World War II, in shaping Rothko’s artistic vision. The research is divided into four chapters. The first chapter (the methodological framework) includes the research problem, formulated as: (What is color purity and its aesthetic manifestations in the paintings of Mark Rothko?) The chapter also presents the research objective, which is to identify color purity and its aesthetic manifestations in Rothko’s paintings, along with its objective limits concerning artworks based on pure color relations executed on canvas, the temporal scope from (1949–1964 AD), and the spatial scope in the United States, in addition to defining key terms. The second chapter (the theoretical framework) includes two sections: the first addresses purity conceptually and philosophically, while the second explores manifestations of purity in European painting, concluding with the indicators of the theoretical framework. The third chapter presents the research procedures, including a sample of (3) selected works, the methodology, research tools, and analysis of the sample. The fourth chapter presents the results and conclusions. Among the main findings: 1- color purity in Rothko’s work is not a static state but an act of liberating the viewer’s consciousness, transforming art from a visual material into a pure emotional state in which the essence of human existence appears in its most refined form. One of the key conclusions is 1- the redefinition of the relationship between color and the viewer as a medium for a contemplative and existential experience that evokes states such as anxiety, serenity, and inner immersion