Rothko's Canvases in Florence Stir Deep Emotion
An unbaptised agnostic raised without religion found a spiritual experience standing before Mark Rothko's paintings in Florence. The exhibition "Rothko in Florence" at Palazzo Strozzi, curated by his son Christopher Rothko and Elena Geuna, pairs his giant canvases with Renaissance religious art, highlighting Rothko's inspiration from Fra Angelico's frescoes. The writer Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett describes feeling tearful and grateful upon seeing the first large canvas, with colours that seemed to glow and prompted a dissolution of self.
Art as Meditation and Secular Worship
The exhibition extends to San Marco monastery, where Rothko's works are juxtaposed with Fra Angelico's frescoes. Rothko, overwhelmed when he saw these in 1950, sought to provoke a similar intense, spiritual response. The writer notes that Rothko's art encourages identity to break down, akin to religious contemplation. The Rothko Chapel in Houston is cited as a parallel, but here the smaller scale and uplifting palette evoke holiness.
Younger Audiences Embrace Rothko
Despite noise and phone use by schoolchildren, their responses were perceptive. One teenage boy said, "I love the yellow." Rothko's works are embraced by younger people seeking refuge from infinite scroll, but the writer believes it goes beyond that—a search for greater meaning. The writer admits misunderstanding Rothko in youth, referencing Sartre, but now feels a beatific joy and wholeness rather than nihilism.
Challenge to Naysayers
The writer challenges detractors to stand before a Rothko canvas, guaranteeing they will feel something. After the exhibition, lighting a candle at the Duomo evoked the same flickering, merging sensation as Rothko's art. The experience is described as ancient and profound.
