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David AveryThe Frailty of Realization, by David Avery2019
2019
$850
£639.61
€739.43
CA$1,200.22
A$1,301.39
CHF 690.63
MX$16,028.33
NOK 8,559.98
SEK 8,078.66
DKK 5,519.32
About the Item
David Avery’s etching The Frailty of Realization is a dense, labyrinthine image that immerses the viewer in a surreal chamber overflowing with objects, textures, and symbolic fragments. At its center, a solitary figure—wearing a pointed cap—sits hunched at a desk, intently focused on a candle whose light seems both feeble and essential. Around him, the room is chaotic yet meticulously detailed: broken machinery, globes, ropes, animal specimens, and scattered relics fill the space, suggesting the accumulated weight of knowledge, memory, and failure. The ceiling teems with floating creatures and scientific apparatus, while the floor seems precarious, giving way to turbulent waters and debris beneath, emphasizing the instability of the scene. The door at the far right hangs open, tilted askew, offering no clear escape, only more uncertainty.
The work’s title, The Frailty of Realization, resonates strongly with the imagery. The figure’s pursuit of enlightenment, symbolized by the candle and the act of writing or studying, is dwarfed by the overwhelming chaos surrounding him. Every object seems to carry allegorical weight—an emblem of human striving, curiosity, or futility. The stormy waters beneath the fragile floorboards remind the viewer of the precariousness of intellectual or creative ambition, while the clutter above and around the figure suggests both the richness and the futility of human endeavor when faced with the vastness of the unknown. Avery’s intricate linework and obsessive detail amplify this tension, creating a scene at once fantastical and unsettling, where realization is fleeting, fragile, and perhaps even unattainable.
Signed, titled and numbered from the edition of 40. One of several recent prints by Avery that continue to win awards and purchase by museums and public collections.
His work is included in the collections of the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, the New York Public Library, the Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, the Stanford University Library among others, and has been noted in the New York Times. Even though “black and white doesn’t sell”, he has eschewed the use of color, finding the subtleties and tonalities of black and white most capable of creating the psychological mood that allows his work to be effective.
- Creator:David Avery (1952, American)
- Creation Year:2019
- Dimensions:Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Width: 13 in (33.02 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Palm Springs, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU308216907712
David Avery
David Avery has been creating finely detailed black and white etchings in San Francisco for twenty five years. Originally trained as a classical musician, he discovered etching almost by accident in a class at the local community college. After learning the basic techniques, he intently pursued his own course of discovery--being essentially -self taught. Over--the years, he has, developed an exceptional technique and has created a remarkable body of finely wrought miniature etchings and drypoints. David Avery continues to explore the expressive and technical possibilities inherent in black and white line etching. His work is included in the collections of the Fogg Museum at Harvard University, the New York Public Library, the Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, the Stanford University Library among others, and has been noted in the New York Times. Even though “black and white doesn’t sell”, he has eschewed the use of color, finding the subtleties and tonalities of black and white most capable of creating the psychological mood that allows his work to be effective. Public Collections: Library of Congress
The Fogg Museum of Fine Arts, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
The Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, San Francisco, CA
Stanford University Library, Special Collections, Stanford, CA
The Turner Print Gallery, California State University, Chico, CA
The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.
St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA
New York Public Library, New York, NY
San Francisco Public Library, Book Arts and Special Collections Center
Lakeview Museum Permanent Collection, Peoria, IL
Arkansas State University Permanent Collection, AR
Purdue University Galleries
Bradbury Art Museum, Jonesboro, AR
Kellogg University Art Gallery, Pomona, CA
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