"An analysis of Mark Rothko's 1938 painting Subway Scene"

Prior to 1940 Rothko often painted deserted city environments, adopting an expressionistic style. Subway Scene (1938) is one such painting. It is the depiction of a subway station and features: a policeman and another figure next to a figure in a ticket booth and some turnstiles; two figures passing each other on some stairs descending to a lower level; a figure just entering into view via steps to the back left. There are also four large pillars …

…suggest that the implied spectator position is further back along the same line as the ticket booth and the figures on the descending stairs. Rothko uses the methods I have discussed to distance and segregate the spectator from the scene. Along with his brushwork, lighting and choice of colours, this lends the painting an eerie atmosphere. As such, Subway Scene is a bleak and cold image that stresses a feeling of alienation to the spectator.