Rothko in Florence

From 14 March to 23 August 2026, Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi presents one of the most significant exhibitions ever dedicated to Mark Rothko (1903–1970), the undisputed master of modern American art. Curated by Christopher Rothko and Elena Geuna, Rothko in Florence is a unique project conceived specifically for Palazzo Strozzi to celebrate the special connection between the artist and the city of Florence.

The architecture of Palazzo Strozzi and the cultural heritage of the city provide an ideal setting to explore how Rothko translated the tension between classical measure and expressive freedom into painting. Through color, Rothko created a new perception of space that transcends the two-dimensionality of the canvas.

The exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi traces Rothko’s entire artistic career through more than 70 works from prestigious private collections and major international museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Tate in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington.

The project also expands beyond Palazzo Strozzi into the city of Florence with two special satellite sections in places particularly meaningful to Rothko: the Museo di San Marco and the Vestibule of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, designed by Michelangelo.

At the Museo di San Marco, five small-format works by Rothko, created using different techniques and from different periods, will enter into dialogue with five frescoes by Fra Angelico in the monastic cells. These pairings are guided by affinities of color, material, and spiritual resonance. Works by Rothko—including Untitled (1958), Untitled (1954), Gethsemane (1944), and No. 21 [Untitled] (1947)—will be presented alongside frescoes such as the Noli me tangere, the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, the Transfiguration, and Christ Mocked, inviting visitors to contemplate themes of transformation, revelation, and spiritual meditation.