Rothko on display in Florence
From March 14 to August 23, 2026, Palazzo Strozzi in Florence hosts the exhibition Rothko in Florence, one of the most important exhibitions ever dedicated in Italy to the American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970).
The Mark Rothko exhibition in Florence, curated by Christopher Rothko (the artist’s son) and Elena Geuna, is a project designed to tell the deep connection between Rothko, Italy, and the city of Florence.
Specifically designed for the unique context of Palazzo Strozzi, the Rothko exhibition in Florence interacts with the Renaissance architecture of the space, enhancing the contemplative dimension of the works.
Mark Rothko is one of the most profound and radical figures in 20th-century art. Considered one of the leading exponents of Abstract Expressionism, Rothko transformed painting into an emotional and spiritual experience, entrusting color with the task of speaking directly to the human soul.
Visit the exhibition “Rothko in Florence” with the reduced ticket
If you purchase the Artsupp Card, you can visit the exhibition Rothko in Florence with a reduced ticket. But it doesn’t end there; the Artsupp Card gives you access to discounts and reductions in over 200 museums across Italy.
The exhibition
The Rothko exhibition in Florence features numerous works by the artist. The exhibition path retraces the entire career of Rothko with over 70 works from leading international museums and prestigious private collections.
The exhibition offers a complete journey from the initial figurative production in dialogue with Expressionism and Surrealism, to the famous color field paintings of the 1950s and 1960s, where Rothko uses large color fields to create works of intense emotional power.
The exhibition path
In addition to the rooms of Palazzo Strozzi, the project extends to two satellite venues in the heart of the city:
- the Museum of San Marco, where some works interact directly with the frescoes of Beato Angelico
- the Vestibule of the Medicean Laurentian Library, a masterpiece of architecture by Michelangelo.
Visit the exhibition Rothko in Florence With Artsupp Card
Show your Artsupp Card at the entrance of Palazzo Strozzi to visit the Rothko exhibition in Florence with a reduced ticket.
How the Renaissance influenced Rothko
The exhibition path of the show, spread across multiple venues, highlights how Rothko himself was profoundly influenced by Florence and Renaissance art: his first encounter with Florence dates back to 1950, when the city and the works of the great Italian masters deeply impressed him and marked his pictorial vision.
The connection between Rothko and Michelangelo may be surprising, but it is essential for understanding his art. During his travels in Italy, Rothko was deeply struck by the architecture and emotional power of Michelangelo’s works.
In particular, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana impressed him with its dramatic tension: a space that seems almost to oppress the visitor, pushing them towards an intense and introspective experience.
Rothko stated that he was fascinated not by the ideal beauty of the Renaissance, but by its dramatic quality. Just like Michelangelo, he sought to convey a sense of grandeur, solemnity, and inner conflict.
The Florentine exhibition highlights how Rothko’s art is not a break with the past, but a deep dialogue with history.
What is the meaning of the “squares” in Mark Rothko’s paintings?
The color rectangles in Mark Rothko‘s paintings can be related to the windows of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana by Michelangelo: suspended openings filled with tension, conceived not as decoration but as experience.
Similarly, Rothko’s color fields function as visual and emotional thresholds, inviting the viewer to a silent and profoundly spiritual contemplation.
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