Author Description
At the time of Mark Rothko's apparent suicide in 1970, the deeply troubled, pioneering artist of Abstract Expressionism was at the height of fame and financial success; yet within months of the funeral, his three trusted friends, acting as executors, relinquished his entire legacy of 800 paintings to the powerful, international Marlborough Galleries (run by Frank Lloyd) for a fraction of their real worth on terms suspiciously unfavorable to the estate. The suit that Rothko's daughter brought against the executors and Marlborough rocked the art world with its shocking revelations of corruption in the international art trade: from the deceptions practiced on Rothko when he was alive to the scandals after his death involving conspiracies and cover-ups, double dealings and betrayals, missing paintings and manipulated markets, phony sales and laundered profits, forgery and fraud.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the systematic corruption and financial exploitation surrounding the estate of Abstract Expressionist painter Mark Rothko following his death in 1970. Author Lee Seldes, an investigative journalist, utilizes court transcripts, personal interviews, and financial records to document how the artist's executors conspired with the Marlborough Galleries to undervalue and misappropriate hundreds of paintings. The text presents a detailed framework of the legal battle initiated by Rothko's daughter to expose the systemic fraud within the international art market.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Detailed analysis of the 1970s legal proceedings against the Marlborough Galleries.
- Documentation of market manipulation, forgery, and money laundering in the high-end art trade.
- Examination of the personal and professional relationships between Rothko and his appointed executors.
Scope Limits
- The book does not provide a comprehensive biography of Rothko's entire life or artistic development.
- It focuses primarily on the legal and financial scandal rather than an aesthetic critique of the paintings themselves.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and legal historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the vulnerabilities and ethical failures within the international art market. Readers often note the meticulous detail of the investigative reporting, which provides a clear view of the complex litigation involved in the case.
Page Count:
372
Publication Date:
1978-01-01
Publisher:
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
ISBN-10:
0030147514
ISBN-13:
9780030147517
Non-Fiction
True Crime
Biography
Legal History
Painters
Art History