Rothko Painted People and Shadows Danced in Paris

Mark Rothko, known for his luminous color fields, actually spent years painting people—urban scenes, nudes, and mythic figures—before abstraction became his signature. The Fondation Louis Vuitton’s sweeping retrospective in Paris uncovers this rarely seen side, showcasing early works long tucked away in museum storage and private collections. Rothko’s journey from figuration to abstraction wasn’t a sudden leap but a gradual search for a visual language that could hold emotion and social meaning. Even his famous “Multiforms” pulse with the influence of myth and Surrealism, their vibrant colors and hazy edges hinting at deeper human stories. The exhibition also brings to France, for the first time, the legendary “Seagram” murals—works that marked Rothko’s shift to darker palettes and a new kind of immersive experience. As the show moves from radiant color to somber “Blackforms,” it traces an artist unafraid to face the shadows in pursuit of light. Rothko’s canvases, far from empty, invite viewers into the drama of existence itself. #MarkRothko #AbstractExpressionism #FondationLouisVuitton #Culture