“Rothko in Florence” the Palazzo Strozzi exhibition

Palazzo Strozzi opens its halls to the large canvases of Mark Rothko. In addition, there are two special sections at the Museo di San Marco and the Biblioteca Laurenziana.

At first glance, one might wonder why dedicate an exhibition to Mark Rothko after the one held in Paris just two years ago. Nevertheless, there is a serious and fundamental reason for this exhibition — Rothko’s art has a deep connection with Florence.

Visiting the exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi means not only admiring his art. It means entering the world of Mark Rothko. It is about discovering the deep roots that nourished his creative vision throughout his entire career. This is, in fact, the thread proposed by the exhibition’s curators: his son Christopher Rothko and Elena Geuna.

Rothko in Florence

Rothko visited Florence three times: in 1950, 1959, and again in 1966. The impressions, thoughts, and inspiration he drew from these experiences are revealed in the works on display. This was not a chance encounter. Mark Rothko came to Florence in search of something he already knew through his readings. In Florence, he found confirmation—but not only that. By visiting not just Palazzo Strozzi, but also the Biblioteca Laurenziana and the Museo di San Marco, we can see how Rothko forged a profound intellectual and artistic connection with Beato Angelico and Michelangelo..

The Artistic Career

In the rooms of Palazzo Strozzi, one can trace all the periods of his artistic career. You can discover what many do not know: his early figurative phase, followed by his period as a surrealist artist. These were not brief or insignificant stages. During the first twenty years of his forty-year career, Rothko was a painter quite different from what many might expect—and one we invite you to discover. The works on display reveal an unexpected coherence despite the apparent changes in his style. His visits to our city confirmed his sources of inspiration and gave him the opportunity to articulate his artistic vision even more clearly.

Entering Colors and Forms

In the rooms of Palazzo Strozzi, we follow the stages of Mark Rothko’s artistic career. From his figurative period, to the brief yet crucial phase of the Multiforms, and finally to the large canvases and colors—the Color Fields that set him apart from all others. These are paintings that assert themselves, that speak to us, that cannot leave us indifferent. We can truly enter into his colors and his forms.

Visiting the exhibition means not only being captivated by his painting, but also stepping into the world of an artist. He called us to a dialogue—and continues to challenge us to engage. Rothko invites us into a relationship that is not only aesthetic, but above all emotional and intellectual. Looking at his canvases is necessarily an individual experience; however, understanding the meaning, the motivations, the ideas, and the challenges that Rothko presents is something we can do together.

Thus, as we move through the exhibition rooms, we will seek to give voice to the great artist and to illuminate what lies behind the carefully considered choices that led him to the forms and colors of his monumental canvases.

At San Marco and the Biblioteca Laurenziana

Beyond this, let us not forget that the title of the exhibition is Rothko in Florence! As already mentioned, there are two additional special sections of the show—one in the cells of the Museo di San Marco, the other in the Vestibule of the Biblioteca Laurenziana.

This is also an opportunity to visit two of Florence’s most remarkable places. First, San Marco—an experience that left a deep and lasting impression on Rothko’s mind and spirit. In the monastic cells, where five of his canvases are displayed alongside the frescoes of Beato Angelico, we find clear evidence of this connection. The dialogue between Beato Angelico’s colors and those of Mark Rothko can evoke a profound emotional response.

Second, but no less important, is the Vestibule of the Biblioteca Laurenziana. Entering the space conceived by Michelangelo and encountering two of Rothko’s paintings, it becomes clear that art knows no temporal boundaries. The dialogue between the two artists is intense, and their voices resonate with clarity. Although Michelangelo speaks through stone and Rothko through form and color, their vocabulary is shared. These are works that invite us to take part in their thoughts and reflections.

Thus—Rothko in Florence!

The Visit to the Exhibition “Rothko in Florence”

Until August 23, every day of the week—with extended hours on Thursdays until 11 pm—we invite you to join us in the halls of Palazzo Strozzi to visit the exhibition Rothko in Florence.

An opportunity not only to see Rothko’s works, but to share in his thoughts and ideas. And if you wish to continue the visit by entering together the intimate space of the cells at San Marco, as well as the austere setting of the Biblioteca Laurenziana, we are ready to accompany you and give voice to color and form.