In the late 1950's, Rothko was commissioned to paint a series for the four seasons restaurant.
Rothko was influenced by Michelangelo's Laurentian Library in Florence, with its blind windows. Rothko commented that Michelangelo achieved just that atmosphere he is after: Trapped in a room where all the doors and windows are bricked up.
Recognising that the setting of the restaurant would not fit in such a location, Rothko withdrew from the comission and presented it to the Tate Modern.
Year: 1958
Type: Oil paint, acrylic paint, glue tempera and pigment on canvas
Dimensions: 266.7 cm × 381.2 cm (105 in × 150 in)
Location: Tate Modern, London
