By means of the media, whether books, newspapers or movies, it appears that most artists are classified as being emotionally unstable. Van Gogh cut off his ear, Pollock was in a wild car accident, and many others are classified as living in a secluded, small apartment spending entire day painting. Well, Rothko proves to be no different - he was described as being a "nervous man," and eventually ended up committing suicide at age 70. Some might argue that his depression was the basis for his paintings. Similar to Freud's theory, Rothko was able to transcribe this nervousness that was deep down inside of him onto canvas. There were many cultural, artistic, and intellectual influences on Rothko that contributed to his state of mind, thus also contributing to his work.
             Rothko's cultural influence probably would have to do with is background and the tragedies that he witnessed. Born in Lithuanian during the early 1900s, Rothko, who was Jewish, was exposed to the hateful tensions between the Jews and Russia. This was not the only misfortune that Rothko witnessed; his father was killed while he was ten years old. These tragedies, along with many others during the time of the Great Depression, probably contributed not only to melancholy tone, but even his suicide.
             Intellectually, Rothko was influenced a great deal, as well. At Yale Rothko studied Philosophy and devoted himself to radical politics. This intellectual influence could be seen in his painting "Antigone." In the story of Antigone, Antigone was unjustly executed, and Rothko, conveys not only his feeling of unjust, but also his promotion of anarchism in this painting. This is a prime example of Rothko turning classical myth into the present based upon universal themes of the human condition. In Antigone, the universal theme would be the injustice presented primarily upon the lower and middle class from the government. Rothko's political activ
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