Mark Rothko's awe-inspiring yet deceptively simple, iconic colour field paintings belie the mythical and emotional complexity behind them. Rothko put his heart and soul into creating works that were to act upon the viewer in an almost physical way, progressing from figurative and symbolist works to eventually using shimmering and enveloping colour to elevate you to a higher spiritual awareness. The straightforward and fascinating text in this book takes you through the development of Rothko's art as you discover the themes, thinking and methodology behind the oeuvre, from Greek tragedy and Nietzsche to music and colour, enabling you to go forth and experience his pieces to the level of intensity intended.