He was born Mark Rothkowitz in Daugavpils (Dvinsk), Russia (now Latvia). His work concentrated on basic emotions, often filling the canvas with very few intense colours, with little immediately apparent detail. In this respect, he can also be considered related to color field painters (see: Helen Frankenthaler).
A large collection comprising fourteen of his works in an installation setting makes up the Rothko Chapel in Houston; numerous other works are scattered in museums throughout the world.
Rothko committed suicide in his New York studio on February 25, 1970.