The exhibition intersperses, through "visual dialogues", various paintings by Monet with works by abstract artists of the twentieth century. PHOTO: Ángela Girano

The Rothko 'Untitled' (1969) from the University of Navarra, which is part of the collection donated by María Josefa Huarte to the academic center, will remain at the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris until September 26.

The painting belongs to the exhibition "Monet and Abstraction", organized by the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which has now been transferred to Paris, as part of a collaboration agreement between the two institutions.

The exhibition proposes a new and original look at the work of the French painter, not only rescuing his mastery as a genius of impressionism, but also highlighting his special contribution in the transition to modernity.   

In the exhibition are interspersed, through "visual dialogues", various paintings by Monet with works by abstract artists of the twentieth century as Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock, Sam Francis or Gerhard Richter. In the section 'light effects', for example, highlights the 'Sunrise' (1873) of the Parisian master with 'Untitled' (1969) by Mark Rothko, 'Consequences' (1959) by Adolph Gottlieb, 'Bright red' by Hans Hofmann (1962) or 'Painting with three spots No. 196' by Wassily Kandinsky.

The painting by Mark Rothko, an oil on paper mounted on wood, is part of the contemporary art collection donated by María Josefa Huarte to the University of Navarra in 2008 and will be exhibited in an art center currently being planned by the architect Rafael Moneo.

Spiritual attunement with nature

Paloma Alarcó, curator of the exhibition, curator and head of the Modern Painting Area of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, pointed out that "The Rothko of the University of Navarra belongs to the works of that generation that rediscovered Monet, after having been forgotten for decades by the avant-garde. After the Second World War, a new generation of young people emerged looking for their artistic path, among whom were Rothko, Gottlieb, Pollock, etc."

Untitled' by Mark Rothko, 1969.

Photo: loaned

For his part, Guillermo Solana, artistic director of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, declared that "it is a painting of nuances and modulation of a state of mind. In the area where we have the Rothko on display, you can see the effects of light, because there is a gradation of dawn or twilight that sometimes appears in the Monets and with which Rothko definitely has to do. In the Rothko at the University of Navarra, as in the later Monet, there is a mission: to be in spiritual tune with the whole of nature."

Finally, Guillemo Solana thanked the generosity of Mª Josefa Huarte and the University of Navarra: "They have trusted us by leaving us a very valuable piece for an exhibition of great importance. We have a great Rothko in the museum's collection, but it was not the right one; it is a Rothko with much less play of surfaces, color and light".