Vessels of Magic
Museum Collection Fund, 47.106
Date
Medium
Support
Dimensions
38 3/4 x 25 3/4 in. (98.4 x 65.4 cm)
Inscription
Lower right in graphite: MARK ROTHKO
Collection
Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 47.106. © Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko
Exhibitions
Mark Rothko: Exhibition of Watercolors, Mortimer Brandt Gallery, New York, April 22 – May 4, 1946, no. 7, as Vessels of Magic.
Oils and Watercolors by Mark Rothko, San Francisco Museum of Art, August 13 – September 8, 1946, as Vessels of Magic.
Oils and Watercolors by Mark Rothko, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, October 1 – 15, 1946, as Vessels of Magic.
New Accessions United States, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, July 12 – September 5, 1948, cat. 9, as Vessels of Magic.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, Palazzo Reale Napoli, October 31 – November 25, 1959.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, Palazzo Strozzi, December 12, 1959 – January 10, 1960.
25 anni di pittura americana, 1933-1958, Galleria nazionale d'arte moderna, January 23 – February 22, 1960.
25 anni di pittura americana, 1933–1958, Società per le belle arti ed esposizione permanente, March 5 – 31, 1960, as Vessels of Magic.
Moderne amerikanische Malerei, 1930–1958, Amerika Haus, April 15 – May 15, 1960.
Moderne amerikanische Malerei, 1930–1958, Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, June 3 – 26, 1960, cat. 63, as Vessels of Magic.
Modernt amerikanskt måleri, 1932–1958, Göteborgs konstmuseum, July 15 – August 7, 1960, cat. 63, as Magiska fartyg.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, York City Art Gallery, August 15 – September 20, 1960.
Mark Rothko, The Museum of Modern Art, January 18 – March 12, 1961, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: A Retrospective Exhibition: Paintings, 1945–1960, Whitechapel Art Gallery, October 11 – November 8, 1961, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Stedelijk Museum, November 23 – December 27, 1961, cat. 4, as toverkelken.
Mark Rothko, Palais des beaux-arts de Bruxelles, January 6 – 28, 1962, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Kunsthalle Basel, March 3 – April 8, 1962, cat. 4, as Magische Gefäβe.
Mark Rothko, Galleria nazionale d'arte moderna, April 27 – September 1, 1962, cat. 4, as Vascelli magici.
Mark Rothko, Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris, December 5, 1962 – January 13, 1963, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
New York Painting and Sculpture, 1940–1970, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 18, 1969 – February 1, 1970, cat. 345, as Vessels of Magic.
Subjects of the Artists: New York Painting, 1941–1947, Whitney Museum of American Art, downtown branch, April 22 – May 28, 1975, as Vessels of Magic.
Twentieth-Century American Drawing: Three Avant-Garde Generations, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, January 23 – March 28, 1976, cat. 122, as Vessels of Magic.
Surrealism and American Art, 1931–1947, Rutgers University Art Gallery, March 5 – April 24, 1977, cat. 130, as Vessels of Magic.
Abstract Expressionism: The Formative Years, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, March 30 – May 14, 1978, as Vessels of Magic.
Abstract Expressionism: The Formative Years, Whitney Museum of American Art, October 5 – December 3, 1978, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, 1903–1970: A Retrospective, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, October 27, 1978 – January 14, 1979, cat. 52, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: Subjects, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, October 15, 1983 – February 26, 1984, as Vessels of Mgic.
La planète affolée: Surréalisme, dispersion et influences, 1938–1947, Centre de la Vieille Charité, Musées de Marseille, April 12 – June 30, 1986, cat. 281, as Vessels of Magic.
The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting, 1890–1985, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, November 23, 1986 – March 8, 1987, cat. 50, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art, September 23 – November 5, 1995, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, November 11 – December 24, 1995, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Nagoya City Art Museum, January 4 – February 12, 1996, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, February 17 – March 24, 1996, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Whitney Museum of American Art, September 17 – November 29, 1998, cat. 31, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper, National Gallery of Art, November 19, 2023 – March 31, 2024, as Vessels of Magic.
Oils and Watercolors by Mark Rothko, San Francisco Museum of Art, August 13 – September 8, 1946, as Vessels of Magic.
Oils and Watercolors by Mark Rothko, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, October 1 – 15, 1946, as Vessels of Magic.
New Accessions United States, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, July 12 – September 5, 1948, cat. 9, as Vessels of Magic.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, Palazzo Reale Napoli, October 31 – November 25, 1959.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, Palazzo Strozzi, December 12, 1959 – January 10, 1960.
25 anni di pittura americana, 1933-1958, Galleria nazionale d'arte moderna, January 23 – February 22, 1960.
25 anni di pittura americana, 1933–1958, Società per le belle arti ed esposizione permanente, March 5 – 31, 1960, as Vessels of Magic.
Moderne amerikanische Malerei, 1930–1958, Amerika Haus, April 15 – May 15, 1960.
Moderne amerikanische Malerei, 1930–1958, Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, June 3 – 26, 1960, cat. 63, as Vessels of Magic.
Modernt amerikanskt måleri, 1932–1958, Göteborgs konstmuseum, July 15 – August 7, 1960, cat. 63, as Magiska fartyg.
Modern American Painting, 1930–1958, York City Art Gallery, August 15 – September 20, 1960.
Mark Rothko, The Museum of Modern Art, January 18 – March 12, 1961, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: A Retrospective Exhibition: Paintings, 1945–1960, Whitechapel Art Gallery, October 11 – November 8, 1961, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Stedelijk Museum, November 23 – December 27, 1961, cat. 4, as toverkelken.
Mark Rothko, Palais des beaux-arts de Bruxelles, January 6 – 28, 1962, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Kunsthalle Basel, March 3 – April 8, 1962, cat. 4, as Magische Gefäβe.
Mark Rothko, Galleria nazionale d'arte moderna, April 27 – September 1, 1962, cat. 4, as Vascelli magici.
Mark Rothko, Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris, December 5, 1962 – January 13, 1963, cat. 4, as Vessels of Magic.
New York Painting and Sculpture, 1940–1970, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 18, 1969 – February 1, 1970, cat. 345, as Vessels of Magic.
Subjects of the Artists: New York Painting, 1941–1947, Whitney Museum of American Art, downtown branch, April 22 – May 28, 1975, as Vessels of Magic.
Twentieth-Century American Drawing: Three Avant-Garde Generations, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, January 23 – March 28, 1976, cat. 122, as Vessels of Magic.
Surrealism and American Art, 1931–1947, Rutgers University Art Gallery, March 5 – April 24, 1977, cat. 130, as Vessels of Magic.
Abstract Expressionism: The Formative Years, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, March 30 – May 14, 1978, as Vessels of Magic.
Abstract Expressionism: The Formative Years, Whitney Museum of American Art, October 5 – December 3, 1978, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, 1903–1970: A Retrospective, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, October 27, 1978 – January 14, 1979, cat. 52, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: Subjects, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, October 15, 1983 – February 26, 1984, as Vessels of Mgic.
La planète affolée: Surréalisme, dispersion et influences, 1938–1947, Centre de la Vieille Charité, Musées de Marseille, April 12 – June 30, 1986, cat. 281, as Vessels of Magic.
The Spiritual in Art: Abstract Painting, 1890–1985, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, November 23, 1986 – March 8, 1987, cat. 50, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art, September 23 – November 5, 1995, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, November 11 – December 24, 1995, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Nagoya City Art Museum, January 4 – February 12, 1996, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, February 17 – March 24, 1996, cat. 20, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko, Whitney Museum of American Art, September 17 – November 29, 1998, cat. 31, as Vessels of Magic.
Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper, National Gallery of Art, November 19, 2023 – March 31, 2024, as Vessels of Magic.
References
Jewell, Edward Alden. "Art: Hither and Yon." New York Times, April 28, 1946: 6.
Goldwater, Robert, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko, A Retrospective Exhibition, Paintings 1945–1960. Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 1961: cat. 4 (b/w).
Coates, Robert M. "The Art Galleries: In the Museums." New Yorker, January 28, 1961: 78-79.
Goldwater, Robert, Emilio Villa, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1961: n.p..
Goldwater, Robert, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko. Kunsthalle Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 1962: n.p..
Bucarelli, Palma. Mark Rothko. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, 1962: 17, cat. 4 (b/w).
Selz, Peter. Mark Rothko. Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1962: n.p..
Alloway, Lawrence. "Notes on Rothko." Art International 6, no. 5-6 (Summer 1962): no. 2, 94.
Geldzahler, Henry. New York Painting and Sculpture: 1940–1970. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1969: 58, cat. 345, 296 (b/w).
Sandler, Irving. The Triumph of American Painting: A History of Abstract Expressionism. New York, 1970: 175, fig. 13-2 (b/w).
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Twentieth-Century American Drawing: Three Avant-Garde Generations. New York, 1976: 77.
Kramer, Hilton. “Rothko–Art as Religious Faith.” New York Times, November 12, 1978: 35.
Waldman, Diane. Mark Rothko, 1903–1970: A Retrospective. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1978: 278, cat. 52 (b/w).
Chave, Anna. Mark Rothko: Subjects. High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, 1983: 22 (color).
Clearwater, Bonnie. Mark Rothko: Works on Paper. American Federation of Arts, New York, 1984: 31-32, 31 (b/w).
Rudenstine, Angelica Zander. Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. New York, 1985: 691.
Musées de Marseill. La planète affolée: Surréalisme Dispersion et Influences, 1938–1947. Marseille, France, 1986: 123 (b/w).
Polcari, Stephen. “Mark Rothko: Heritage, Environment, and Tradition.” Smithsonian Studies in American Art 2, no. 2 (Spring 1988): 43, n. 8, 61.
Hiromoto, Nobuyuki. Contemporary Great Masters: Mark Rothko. Vol. 4, Tokyo, 1993: 93, 113, plate 4 (color).
Breslin, James E. B. Mark Rothko: A Biography. Chicago, IL, 1993: 608n46.
Waldman, Diane. Mark Rothko in New York. (New York, 1994): cat. 20 (color).
Anfam, David, Nobuyuki Hiromoto, Sumi Hayashi, and Naoko Seki. Mark Rothko. Tokyo Shimbun, Tokyo, 1995: cat. 20 (color).
Weiss, Jeffrey, ed. Mark Rothko. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998: 313, 341, cat. 31 (color), fig. 6 (b/w).
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Rothko’s Unknown Space.” In Mark Rothko, edited by Jeffrey Weiss. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998: 313, 341, cat. 31 (color), fig. 6 (b/w).
Goldberg, Itzhak. "Rothko: la couleur métaphysique." Beaux Arts Magazine 176 (January 1999): 67.
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Submón.” In Mark Rothko, by Oliver Wick et al. Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain, 2000: 29, fig. 4 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver, et al. Mark Rothko. Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain, 2000: 29, fig. 4 (b/w).
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Underworld.” In Mark Rothko, by Oliver Wick et al. Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2001: 41, fig. 28 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver, et al. Mark Rothko. Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2001: 41, fig. 28 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver. Mark Rothko: Works on Paper, 1930–1969. Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2005: 30n7.
Clearwater, Bonnie. The Rothko Book. London, 2006: 59, fig. 48 (color).
Wick, Oliver, ed. Mark Rothko. Palazzo delle esposizioni, Rome, 2007: 61n8.
Barbero, Luca Massimo. Peggy Guggenheim e la Nuova Pittura Americana. Arca, Chiesa di San Marco, Vercelli, 2008: 156.
Fine, Ruth. “Meaning in Touch: Rothko on Paper.” In Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade, 1940–1950, edited by Bradford R. Collins. Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, 2012: 103.
Collins, Bradford R., ed. Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade, 1940–1950. Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, 2012: 103.
Cohen-Solal, Annie. Mark Rothko. Arles, France, 2013: 125.
Cohen-Solal, Annie. Mark Rothko: Toward the Light in the Chapel. New Haven, CT, 2015: 102.
Davidson, Susan. "Feminism for the Most Masculine: How Two Women Launched an Art Market." In Abstract Expressionism, edited by David Anfam. Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2016: 309n32.
Anfam, David, ed. Abstract Expressionism. Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2016: 309n32.
Greenhalgh, Adam. Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2023: 26-27, 183, 189n54, 189n60, plate 38 (color).
Goldwater, Robert, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko, A Retrospective Exhibition, Paintings 1945–1960. Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, 1961: cat. 4 (b/w).
Coates, Robert M. "The Art Galleries: In the Museums." New Yorker, January 28, 1961: 78-79.
Goldwater, Robert, Emilio Villa, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1961: n.p..
Goldwater, Robert, and Peter Selz. Mark Rothko. Kunsthalle Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 1962: n.p..
Bucarelli, Palma. Mark Rothko. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome, 1962: 17, cat. 4 (b/w).
Selz, Peter. Mark Rothko. Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1962: n.p..
Alloway, Lawrence. "Notes on Rothko." Art International 6, no. 5-6 (Summer 1962): no. 2, 94.
Geldzahler, Henry. New York Painting and Sculpture: 1940–1970. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1969: 58, cat. 345, 296 (b/w).
Sandler, Irving. The Triumph of American Painting: A History of Abstract Expressionism. New York, 1970: 175, fig. 13-2 (b/w).
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Twentieth-Century American Drawing: Three Avant-Garde Generations. New York, 1976: 77.
Kramer, Hilton. “Rothko–Art as Religious Faith.” New York Times, November 12, 1978: 35.
Waldman, Diane. Mark Rothko, 1903–1970: A Retrospective. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1978: 278, cat. 52 (b/w).
Chave, Anna. Mark Rothko: Subjects. High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, 1983: 22 (color).
Clearwater, Bonnie. Mark Rothko: Works on Paper. American Federation of Arts, New York, 1984: 31-32, 31 (b/w).
Rudenstine, Angelica Zander. Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. New York, 1985: 691.
Musées de Marseill. La planète affolée: Surréalisme Dispersion et Influences, 1938–1947. Marseille, France, 1986: 123 (b/w).
Polcari, Stephen. “Mark Rothko: Heritage, Environment, and Tradition.” Smithsonian Studies in American Art 2, no. 2 (Spring 1988): 43, n. 8, 61.
Hiromoto, Nobuyuki. Contemporary Great Masters: Mark Rothko. Vol. 4, Tokyo, 1993: 93, 113, plate 4 (color).
Breslin, James E. B. Mark Rothko: A Biography. Chicago, IL, 1993: 608n46.
Waldman, Diane. Mark Rothko in New York. (New York, 1994): cat. 20 (color).
Anfam, David, Nobuyuki Hiromoto, Sumi Hayashi, and Naoko Seki. Mark Rothko. Tokyo Shimbun, Tokyo, 1995: cat. 20 (color).
Weiss, Jeffrey, ed. Mark Rothko. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998: 313, 341, cat. 31 (color), fig. 6 (b/w).
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Rothko’s Unknown Space.” In Mark Rothko, edited by Jeffrey Weiss. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1998: 313, 341, cat. 31 (color), fig. 6 (b/w).
Goldberg, Itzhak. "Rothko: la couleur métaphysique." Beaux Arts Magazine 176 (January 1999): 67.
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Submón.” In Mark Rothko, by Oliver Wick et al. Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain, 2000: 29, fig. 4 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver, et al. Mark Rothko. Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, Spain, 2000: 29, fig. 4 (b/w).
Weiss, Jeffrey. “Underworld.” In Mark Rothko, by Oliver Wick et al. Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2001: 41, fig. 28 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver, et al. Mark Rothko. Fondation Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2001: 41, fig. 28 (b/w).
Wick, Oliver. Mark Rothko: Works on Paper, 1930–1969. Galerie Beyeler, Basel, Switzerland, 2005: 30n7.
Clearwater, Bonnie. The Rothko Book. London, 2006: 59, fig. 48 (color).
Wick, Oliver, ed. Mark Rothko. Palazzo delle esposizioni, Rome, 2007: 61n8.
Barbero, Luca Massimo. Peggy Guggenheim e la Nuova Pittura Americana. Arca, Chiesa di San Marco, Vercelli, 2008: 156.
Fine, Ruth. “Meaning in Touch: Rothko on Paper.” In Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade, 1940–1950, edited by Bradford R. Collins. Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, 2012: 103.
Collins, Bradford R., ed. Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade, 1940–1950. Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, 2012: 103.
Cohen-Solal, Annie. Mark Rothko. Arles, France, 2013: 125.
Cohen-Solal, Annie. Mark Rothko: Toward the Light in the Chapel. New Haven, CT, 2015: 102.
Davidson, Susan. "Feminism for the Most Masculine: How Two Women Launched an Art Market." In Abstract Expressionism, edited by David Anfam. Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2016: 309n32.
Anfam, David, ed. Abstract Expressionism. Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2016: 309n32.
Greenhalgh, Adam. Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2023: 26-27, 183, 189n54, 189n60, plate 38 (color).
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