| Biographie | |
| 1903 | Born Marcus Rothkowitz in Dvinsk, Russia |
| 1912 -1913 | Emigration of the family to New York |
| 1921 -1923 | Attends Yale University |
| 1924 -1927 | Drama
studies; enrols in Max Weber's painting classes Beginning of friendship with Milton Avery |
| 1929 | Starts
teaching (Center Academy of the Brooklyn Jewish Center) |
| 1932 | Marries Edith Sachar |
| 1934 | Founding member of the Artists Union in New York |
| 1935 | Formation of the independent artists' group "The Ten" |
| 1940 | Shortens his name to Mark Rothko |
| 1945 | Marries
Mell Beistle; children Kate (born 1950) and Christopher (born 1963) |
| 1950 | Five-month trip through Europe (France, Italy, England) |
| 1951 | Begins teaching at Brooklyn College |
| 1954 | Beginning of association with Sidney Janis Gallery |
| 1956 | First purchases by the collector Duncan Phillips |
| 1958 | Commission for the "Four Seasons" restaurant in the Seagram Building |
| 1959 | Visits Europe; withdraws from the "Four Seasons" project |
| 1960 | Permanent Rothko Room in the Phillips Collection, Washington |
| 1961-1962 | Commission for Harvard University murals |
| 1963 | Marlborough Fine Arts Gallery becomes sole representative for Rothko |
| 1964 | Dominique de Menil commissions paintings for the Rothko Chapel in Houston |
| 1968 | Rothko falls seriously ill |
| 1969 | Establishment of the Mark Rothko Foundation; gift of nine Seagram Murals to the Tate Gallery; separation from wife Mell |
| 1970 | Rothko commits suicide on 25 February; opening of the Rothko Rooms in the Tate Gallery |
| 1971 | Dedication of the Rothko Chapel in Houston |