Mark Rothko

Untitled (Yellow), 1963

Mark Rothko
Untitled (Yellow)
1963
Oil on Canvas
69 x 66 inches
Inscribed on the verso on upper right “ Mark Rothko; 1963; 5051.63”;
Rothko #926

Accompanied by
- a letter from Dr. David Anfam
- original inventory documents from the Rothko Estate via Marlborough
Gallery

Provenance:
- The Artist
- Marlborough Gallery, New York
- Private Collection, New York
- Purchased from above in December 1969
- Transferred into a Trust by deed of gift 1990
 Arnann+Estabroo Conservat on Associates
June 7, 2014 Sandra Amann painting conservator
Elizabeth Estabrook painting conServator
Lisa Bruno obJecr conservator

415 Hanson Street

New York, NY 10014
telephone 212 26239:34
fax 212 262 41IC
Condition Report

Re: ( u n t i t l e d , yellow), 1963

Oil on canvas
69 x 66”
Inscribed on the upper reverse: M A R K .ROTHKO
1963
5051.63
Labels on reverse of the wooden support: Day and Meyer, Murray and Young, case 5, Pc 22 with
overlapping label incribed 3536 X: Malborough. Marlborough—Gerson Galleries Inc., New York, NY,
NOS 20.773; Marlborough, Marlborough-Gerson Galleries Inc., New York, New York, N 16.926
(partially torn); 7 Santini Brothers, Fine Arts Division; H. G. 011endorl, Fine Art Packers, Nev York;
handwritten paper label: 3281 8 (an illegible scrawl)

The painting was examined on June 5, 2014.

Auxiliary support: The wooden support is a butt joined, six member strainer (fixed joins) with narrow
outer members and wider crossbars. The forward laces of the outer members are deeply beveled. The
crossbars are adequately recessed from the fabric support and have a slightly convex bow. The
construction of the strainer is consistent. with wooden supports used by this artist and appears to be
original to the painting. Dust has accumulated on the upturned faces of the strainer. A painted red i s on
the top of the vertical crossbar.

Support The fabric support is a fine tightly woven cotton duck attached to the strainer with staples along
the reverse tacking margins. The narrow top and bottom margins are both selvage. The reverse is notably
soiled overall with uneven discoloration across the lower •portion of the reverse that appears to, correspond
to the lower rectangular field on the face, The support is taut and in plane.

Paint and ground layers: There is no conventional ground layer. The outer border paint, a greenish yellow
ochre and. also visible between the three rectangular fields, has been thinly and unevenly applied forming
a dense layer with numerous vertical rivulets that may have been formed by solvent loaded paint. 'fins
layer may continue beneath the three rectangular fields and has a generally matte sheen. The upper
narrow rectangular field, darker and cooler greenish ochre than the border, has been applied as a thin,
streaked wash with revealed areas of a glossier brighter yellow below, and a varied sheen. In addition to
the rivulets in the border are a series of similar drip trails in the far left and far right of the upper
rectangle. The large central rectangular fonn, a muted yellow, also appears to have a brighter or whiter
yellow below along the perimeter as well as the border color. The application is dense but mottled, with a
variable but generally matte sheen. Three vertical drip trails are above the lower edge left of center; and in
the 'fewer right corner a vertical drip trail appears to have been scumbled over, all presumed to be a
vestige of the artist's working method. The bottom narrow rectangular field has been applied in multiple
thin layers with a brighter yellow in theinterior and a more yellow ochre surround. The uppermost;
brushwork in this passage has very line vertical striations, continuing front the top to bottom edges, and
may indicate a continuous layer of a series of inconsistent layers. The sheen varies but generally ranges
from a soft luster to moderately matte. Numerous short artist brush hairs are caught in the paint layer.
Fine, slightly raised cracks are scattered throughout, with heavier concentrations corresponding to the
edges of the vertical and horizontal crossbars, in the far left of the upper rectangle and upper left of the
center rectangle, and in the right half of the upper right quadrant. Brown paper fibers (estimated) are
caught in the surface at the far left between the central and lower rectanales. Two parallel diagonal
incised abrasions and/or Fissures are 6 - 10" from the lower edge and I 1 - 16" from the left. Two small
clusters of small brown accretions are left of center in the lower rectangle. Small ochre toned spots are in
the lower right of the central field and may be artist or accretion, and some tiny white spatters are above
the central portion of the lower edge. An impressed line with increased sheen is just below the far left of
the upper edge. Minor wear and burnishing is on the turning edges. A dark linear deposit is 14 1/2 - 15"
from the lower edge and 3 - 11" from the left Under ultraviolet inspection, two substantial areas of
inpainting were continued that are visible under normal lighting conditions: 24 - 27" from the upper edge
and 1/2 - 1 3/4" from the right. and 9 " from the lower edge and 7 1/2 - 13" from the right. Additional
areas of inpainting were noted along the lower edge left of center, an "L" shaped area interior of the lower
left comer tip, dots in the lower left border, dots and several small areas at the far left of the upper border,
above the far right of the upper edge of the lower rectangle, two dots in the right vertical border below
center and again slightly lower. Multiple horizontally oriented drip marks that appear to have been
applied from right to left fluoresce darkly within 3 - 22" from the upper edge, and it is unclear if this is
associated with the artists application and/or inpainting.

Comments on Condition
The painting is structurally in good and stable condition. The cracks found in this painting are frequently
noted on other paintings by this artist from this period. The Iwo larger areas of inpainting are clearly
visible under normal lighting conditions and the painting would visually benefit from a better integration
of these areas with the surround.

Amann+EstabrookConservaticonAssociates

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