Demeanor in Paint
Mark Rothko's paintings represent perhaps the opposite end of the Abstract Expressionist spectrum from Jackson Pollock’s. No. 13 (White, Red on Yellow) represents the typical structure of Rothko’s work; horizontal bars of color which appear to almost float over a monochromatic background. Rothko’s paintings often exude an emotion or feeling dictated by their color.
Mark Rothko was born in Russia making him an ideal target for Cold Warriors that rallied against modern art. Contemporary proponents could argue that moving to the United States gave him the freedom to paint non-figuratively. If he would have remained in Russia his paintings would not have flourished due to their pure abstraction.