Dark Over Light Earth I -

(often categorized with No. 7 (Dark Over Light) or No. 9 (Dark Over Light Earth) ) is a seminal 1954 color-field painting by Mark Rothko . Measuring nearly eight feet tall, it is part of a select group of his largest canvases designed to create a sense of overwhelming intimacy and emotional immersion. Visual Composition

No.9 (Dark over Light Earth), 1954 - Mark Rothko - WikiArt.org Dark Over Light Earth I

: A large upper passage of "dusky," dark hues contrasts with a smaller, dappled white area below. (often categorized with No

Rothko famously rejected being labeled an "abstractionist," insisting his work was about human tragedy and the sublime. Measuring nearly eight feet tall, it is part

: He believed that if you were moved to tears, it was because you were communicating with the universal human emotions he poured into the paint.