Even as we admire Mark Rothko's ethereal paintings, the meaning of his color fields and other abstractions can be elusive—as the artist intended. In this illustrated study, Rothko's son Christopher brings his intimate knowledge of the artworks to eighteen essays that look closely at the paintings and how they foster connection between viewer and artist through form, color, and scale. Commenting on Rothko's dark late canvases, his works on paper, and his love for music, the book adds important perspective on the man himself with Christopher's reminiscences of his father.