A Major Rothko Exhibition opens at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, in 2026
The exhibition, Rothko in Florence, is presented by Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and curated by Christopher Rothko together with Elena Geuna.
Set within the Renaissance architecture of Palazzo Strozzi, the exhibition focuses on how Rothko translated the tension between classical balance and expressive freedom into painting. Through colour, scale and spatial relationships, his work seeks to move beyond the two-dimensional surface of the canvas, creating immersive environments rather than conventional images.
The Florentine setting plays a central role in this approach, offering a historical and architectural framework that echoes Rothko’s interest in proportion, contemplation and the emotional power of space.
The exhibition retraces the full arc of Rothko’s career, from his early figurative and transitional works to the large colour-field paintings that defined his mature style. The selection includes over 70 works on loan from major international institutions and private collections.
Participating lenders include the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Tate, the Centre Pompidou, and the National Gallery of Art.
Exhibition Date Rothko in Florence: March 14 - August 23
Main Image: Mark Rothko, No. 3/No. 13, 1949. © Digital Image, The Museum of Modern Art, New York / Scala, Florence. © 1998 by Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome