Born in Russia Mark Rothko came to the USA in 1913 as Markus Rothkowitz one of a vast number of Jews fleeing Eastern Europe. Subsequently referred to as ‘colour field painting ’ the work for which Rothko is most famous has a gripping enigmatic quality. His revolutionary use of colour the absence of line and the sheer size of the canvases invoke a feeling of calm and contemplation. One of the leading figures of the Abstract Expressionist movement Rothko was instrumental in putting New York on the art world’s map. He believed that “art is an adventure into an unknown world which can be explored only by those willing to take the risks.”