/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/b9/74/b9744ec8-7ba7-4b8d-8a67-aa663e3b4401/studio.jpg)
Mark Rothko's Former NYC Studio: A $9.5 Million Masterpiece
<img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/IxkZwNdLqHim5lDwXR4VrzvWWL0=/1026x684/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/b9/74/b9744ec8-7ba7-4b8d-8a67-aa663e3b4401/studio.jpg" alt="Rothko studio front">The former Manhattan studio of renowned Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko is on the market for $9.5 million! This isn't just any apartment; it's a piece of art history.
A Historic Carriage House
Located in Lenox Hill, this Gilded Age carriage house, originally an equestrian training space, later housed sound studios where Elvis Presley filmed scenes for Love Me Tender. Rothko transformed it into his inspirational workspace in the 1960s, creating the iconic paintings for the Rothko Chapel in Houston.
<img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/0OAzYqtPybTDS0fes2T_Ul0zAnY=/fit-in/1072x0/filters:focal(1334x2000:1335x2001)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/f9/c0/f9c0cfab-dbdd-4671-b8d7-f8994ac5273c/12_landing-tea_room_highres.jpeg" alt="apartment">More Than Just Bricks and Mortar
The listing describes the property as having "significant cultural and architectural history." The five-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment occupies the top two floors. The ground floor is currently home to the Urasenke Chanoyu Center, a non-profit focused on traditional Japanese tea. The current owner has the option to purchase the ground floor in 12 years.
Rothko's Legacy
Rothko's time in this studio was pivotal. He used the space to create the fourteen panels for the Rothko Chapel, describing the project as exceeding "all of my preconceptions." The skylight in the studio even inspired the design of the chapel's skylight. He also created works for the Four Seasons restaurant and Harvard University.
<img src="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/U6BWc-k67Z8vr-1jIAOsUX6-VpY=/fit-in/1072x0/filters:focal(2000x1352:2001x1353)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/1d/ee/1deeb4c9-eeff-4f32-b932-57a1ac25ba25/16_155_east_69th_street_townhouse_garage_corr_1_dk.jpeg" alt="front">This is a chance to own a piece of New York City's rich creative legacy, a space imbued with the spirit of one of the 20th century's most influential artists.
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