Rothko in Florence: major exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi exploring color and memory

Rothko in Florence: a multi-site tribute

Palazzo Strozzi hosts a comprehensive exhibition devoted to Mark Rothko, with additional sections at the Museo di San Marco and the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Curated by Christopher Rothko and Elena Geuna, the show includes over 70 works and site-specific installations designed for Florence’s historic settings.

Exhibition narrative

The itinerary begins with early pieces such as Interior (1936) and traces Rothko’s shift from figurative work to the seminal "Multiforms" and the large color fields that define his mature style. The display is arranged in chronological-thematic sections to reveal how encounters with Italian art and architecture informed his exploration of color, spatiality, and inward reflection.

Why see it

The exhibition makes it possible to follow Rothko’s stylistic evolution — from early representational scenes to monumental color planes — placed in dialogue with Renaissance spaces and monastic rooms that heighten the contemplative quality of his paintings.

Practical information

• Venue: Palazzo Strozzi (main venue), with sections at Museo di San Marco and Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence.
• Dates: on view until 23 August 2026.
• Works on display: more than 70 pieces, including site-specific installations and emblematic paintings.
• Curators: Christopher Rothko and Elena Geuna.
• Visitor tips: allow 90–120 minutes, book tickets in advance and combine visits to the related historic sites to appreciate the dialogue between Rothko’s art and Florence’s heritage.

The exhibition is suited both to contemporary art enthusiasts and to visitors interested in the interaction between 20th-century American painting and Italian Renaissance tradition.