MARK ROTHKO’S famous Seagram Murals have returned to Tate Liverpool, more than two decades after they formed part of its opening display.

The art works have been installed on the Albert Dock gallery’s ground floor where they will be seen by visitors for the first time today.

Created in the late 1950s, the paintings were donated to Tate by the artist around 10 years later, and arrived on the day news of his suicide became public.

They are on almost permanent display in London and are rarely lent out to other galleries.

Christoph Grunenberg, Tate Liverpool director, said: “There is such history between these paintings and the gallery that this is a very significant moment.”

A combination of artistic temperament and misunderstanding led to the series of nine murals being available for public exhibition.

Originally intended for the Four Seasons restaurant, within New York’s Seagram Building, they were withdrawn by Rothko at the last minute.

“Rothko said he didn’t know it was meant to be a restaurant and he was expecting a quiet, contemplative space,” said Grunenberg.

“He refused to deliver the paintings, gave back the money he’d been paid and there was a famous quote by him about how he didn’t create his paintings for a place where the ‘richest bastards in New York come to feed and show off’.”

The works were among the first pieces ever to be shown at Tate Liverpool, featuring in its opening exhibition of 1988.

On both visits, the gallery staff have attempted to recreate Rothko’s specified presentation, including grey walls and low-level lighting to bring out the colours.