Avery, Milton
Self Portrait
Date: 1937
Medium: Drypoint
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS:
I have been thinking about Milton Avery’s Poetry After Breakfast. I like how the composition conveys depth through limited shapes. The colors establish the mood and define the interior space.
There is a lot going on in this single picture. I like to think about the dynamic between the 3 characters who are all separated from each other. Where are they? On the porch of a house? How did Avery get these colors to work together so well?
Milton Avery (American, 1885-1965), 'Poetry After Breakfast', 1951,
Roberta Smith wrote a good review of a Milton Avery show where she called out that this scene on the bus is of the Avery family. Avery painted himself into the picture (man with wild hair according to Smith). What a great unique way to paint a family portrait.
“Bus Ride” (1941)
I appreciate what Roberta Smith said about Avery’s relationship with his wife Sally Michel “they were more or less joined at the hip, working side by side, looking at and talking about art, for 40 years. As other art historians have suggested, it may be impossible to think of their style as anything but collaborative, especially since Michel was an illustrator, adept at abbreviating forms.“
My understanding is that Avery and Michel met in 1924 and were married in 1926. Michel acted as the bread winner, working as a free lance illustrator in NYC. Milton worked from home and together they had what is described as a collaborative relationship.
Below are a few pieces I like.
Boathouse by the Sea” (1959)
Current Opinions on Avery
(Note: My opinions change over time)
I don’t think that Avery did great work all of the time. He seems to have been a quick worker. His style lends itself towards fast discovery. I think that if he was at a spot with a piece that wasn’t working, he didn’t care too much and was able to move on to another piece.
That said, when Avery did connect, his paintings worked.