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Milton Avery Art

American, 1885-1965

Milton Clark Avery was born in 1885 in Altmar, New York. Largely self-taught, Avery is today regarded as one of the great early modern American artists; his inspired palette, simplified forms and unwavering commitment to a figurative tradition have secured him a place not only in the canon but also in the hearts of the American public.

Always at odds with the dominant style of the time, be it the American Scene Painting and Social Realism of the 1930s and '40s or the Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s, Avery's oeuvre is a labor of singular dedication. As a boy, Avery worked factory jobs to help support his large family following their move to Connecticut in 1898. He did not seriously begin to pursue art until sometime following his father's death in 1905, when he intermittently attended classes at the Connecticut League of Art Students. He made his artistic debut in 1915 at the Wadsworth Atheneum's Fifth Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture.

In 1925 Avery relocated to New York to be closer to his future bride. Following his marriage in 1926 he was able to quit working and paint full time. At this time Avery replaced the light-drenched palette of his Hartford days with more muted tones. He also exchanged his heavy impasto for thin washes of pigment, which he used to create veiled fields of color.

In 1927 Avery exhibited with the Society of Independent Artists. Success quickly followed. Two of his paintings were selected for inclusion in a 1928 group show at the Opportunity Gallery in New York. Also in 1928, renowned collector Louis Kaufman became the first person to purchase a painting by the artist; and in 1929 Duncan Phillips purchased Winter Riders (1929) for the Phillips Memorial Gallery, making it Avery's first painting to enter a museum collection.

Avery's signature figurative style characterized by simple forms and flattened shapes filled with arbitrary color "in the manner of Matisse" was fully developed by the 1940s. His work as a colorist greatly influenced succeeding generations of artists, specifically Color Field painters Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and Adolph Gottlieb. In 1944 he was given his first solo museum exhibition at the Phillips Memorial Gallery. That same year, he entered into a contract with famed dealer Paul Rosenberg, in which Rosenberg agreed to purchase 25 of Avery's paintings twice a year.

In 1952 the Baltimore Museum of Art hosted Avery's first museum retrospective, and Avery was the subject of a major article in Arts magazine by eminent art critic Clement Greenberg. In 1960 the Whitney Museum of American Art hosted his second museum retrospective.

Find authentic Milton Avery prints and paintings on 1stDibs. 

(Biography provided by Helicline Fine Art)

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Rare Milton Avery MoMA Exhibition Poster Sea Grasses & Blue Sea 1958
By Milton Avery
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Extremely rare, 1988 Milton Avery, Museum of Modern Art, New York, exhibition lithograph poster of the artist's 1958 painting, "Sea Grasses and Blue Sea,...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper

'Little Girl' — American Modernism
By Milton Avery
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Milton Avery, 'Little Girl', drypoint, 1936, edition 60, Lunn 11. Signed, dated, and numbered '22/60' in pencil. A superb impression, in warm black ink with delicate overall plate tone, on off-white wove paper, with wide margins (2 5/8 to 4 1/8 inches); hinge stains on the top sheet edge, verso, otherwise in excellent condition. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Image size 8 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches (222 x 121 mm); sheet size 14 7/8 x 13 1/8 inches (378 x 333 mm). Collections: Cantor Arts Center, National Gallery of Art. ABOUT THE ARTIST "I never have any rules to follow; I follow myself." "I paint not by sight but by faith. Faith gives you sight." —Milton Avery 'His is the poetry of sheer loveliness.' —Mark Rothko in his 1965 eulogy to Avery. Milton Avery (1885-1965) is recognized as one of America's foremost modernist artists, renowned for his uniquely expressive style, evocative use of color, and captivating compositions. Growing up in a working-class family in Altmar, New York, Avery's early life was marked by the struggles and realities of rural New York. Despite lacking formal artistic training, he displayed an innate talent for drawing from an early age. In 1905, his family relocated to Hartford, Connecticut, where he worked various odd jobs while developing his artistic skills through self-study and experimentation. In 1915, he enrolled at the Connecticut League of Art Students, where he received formal instruction and began to refine his distinctive style. In 1918, Avery transferred to the School of the Art Society of Hartford and worked in the evenings so that he could paint during the day. He became a member of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts in 1924. That summer in Gloucester, Massachusetts, he met the artist Sally Michael...
Category

1930s American Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Drypoint

80s Rare Oversized Vintage Original Milton Avery Exhibition Lithograph Poster
By Milton Avery
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Rare, Vintage, Original, Out of Print, Milton Avery Exhibition Lithograph "The Conversation" The Whitney Museum of Art, New York, 1982. Avery's iconic 20th Century modern style usu...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper

Milton Avery wood block black and white rare dancer COA appraisal framed period
By Milton Avery
Located in Buffalo, NY
Milton Avery. Dancer, 1954. Woodcut. Signed, dated, and numbered in pencil. A fine impression, on cream wove Japan paper, with full margins (7/8 to 3 1/8 inches); in good conditio...
Category

1950s Abstract Expressionist Milton Avery Art

Materials

Woodcut

original lithograph
By Milton Avery
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: original lithograph. This lithograph was printed in 1952 for the "Improvisations" portfolio, published by the Artists Equity Association of New York on the occasion of the 19...
Category

1950s Milton Avery Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled
By Milton Avery
Located in PARIS, FR
Milton Avery, in full Milton Clark Avery, (born March 7, 1893, Altmar, New York, U.S.—died January 3, 1965, New York City), painter noted in his lat...
Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Milton Avery Art

Materials

Pencil, Paper, Ink

"Country Haircut"
By Milton Avery
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville Fine Art Gallery is proud to offer this piece by Milton Avery (1885 – 1965). Milton Avery was a prominent Modernist painter whose work combined abstraction and...
Category

1940s American Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Paper

Milton Avery Drawing
By Milton Avery
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Artist/Designer; Manufacturer: Milton Avery (American, 1885-1965) Marking(s); notes: signed Materials: graphite on paper Dimensions (H, W, D): 12.25"h, 10"w; 18"h, 15.5"w frame Addit...
Category

20th Century Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper, Graphite

YOUNG GIRL NUDE
By Milton Avery
Located in Portland, ME
Avery, Milton. YOUNG GIRL NUDE. Lunn 7. Drypoint, 1935. Edition of 100. Signed, dated, and numbered 12/100 in pencil. 10 x 4 1/4 inches (plate), framed to 19 x 14 inches.Provenance H...
Category

1930s Milton Avery Art

Materials

Drypoint

Milton Avery Original Etching Pencil Signed, 1936, Little Girl
By Milton Avery
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Original Etching by Modernist Milton Avery (1885-1965) Image measures: 8 5/8" H x 4 5/8" W. Titled lower left - “Little Girl” Edition size: 6 of 60. Printed in 1936. In excellent co...
Category

Mid-20th Century Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper

Rare Milton Avery Museum of Modern Art Exhibition Lithograph Poster Sea Grasses
By Milton Avery
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
Very rare, Milton Avery, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, Limited Edition, Exhibition Lithograph Poster entitled "Sea Grasses and Blue Sea. Created in 1958. Published by the mu...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper

MARCH WITH BABUSHKA (HEAD OF MARCH).
By Milton Avery
Located in Portland, ME
Avery, Milton. MARCH WITH BABUSHKA (HEAD OF MARCH). Drypoint, 1948. Edition of 100, published by Collectors of American Art. Unsigned, as called for (prints from this edition were not signed). 7 x 6 5/8 inches (plate size, measured along the edges), 9 3/4 x 9 5/8 (image, measured on the diagonal, as oriented), 11 1/4 x 11 inches (sheet). In excellent condition. Three of the four corners of the plate have been trimmed to about one inch from the platemark. A spare and elegant portrait of the artist's daughter, the artist March Avery.
Category

1940s American Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Drypoint

STANDING NUDE
By Milton Avery
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand signed and numbered by the artist. Sheet size 19.75 x 13 inches. Image size 14 x 7 inches. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity included. Edition of 6...
Category

1940s Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Drypoint, Paper

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Previously Available Items
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Milton Avery "Bathers" Drypoint Etching, 1941
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Milton Avery "Sleeping Baby" Drypoint Etching 1933
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Early 20th Century American Classical Milton Avery Art

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Man with Pipe
By Milton Avery
Located in New York, NY
A very good, richly-inked impression of this scarce drypoint. Signed, dated and numbered 22/60 in pencil by Avery. This is a portrait of the artist Vincent Spagna.
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1930s Modern Milton Avery Art

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VINTAGE MILTON AVERY GREENWICH VILLAGERS 1946 PRINT WiTH ORIGINAL GALLERY STAMP
By Milton Avery
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
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20th Century European Other Milton Avery Art

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Standing Nude
By Milton Avery
Located in New York, NY
A superb, richly-inked impression of this drypoint with strong contrasts. Signed, dated and numbered 32/60 in pencil by Avery.
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1940s Modern Milton Avery Art

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Milton Avery Female Odalisque Signed Modern Woodcut Artist's Proof 1953 Framed
By Milton Avery
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
A sentimental black and white woodcut depicting a female nude by Milton Avery. Signed in pencil on the bottom right with a 1956 date and an artist proof annotation. A classic composition of an odalisque. Dimensions: 18.25"W x .75"D x 12.25"H (framed). In very good vintage condition. Milton Clark Avery (1885-1965) was an American modern painter. Born in Altmar, New York, he moved to Connecticut in 1898 and later to New York City. He was the husband of artist Sally Michel Avery and the father of artist March Avery.
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1950s Vintage Milton Avery Art

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Paper

Rooster
By Milton Avery
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
DESCRIPTION Woodcut in colors on Japan paper 9 5/8 x 7 inches (image size) 12 x 9 inches (paper size) Signed and dated lower right Set aside from an edition of 100 Cat. Raisonné – Lu...
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1950s Modern Milton Avery Art

Materials

Paper, Woodcut

Figure on the Beach (Lone Sunbather)
By Milton Avery
Located in Fairfield, CT
PROVENANCE Makler Gallery, Philadelphia; to Private collection, 1967; [Sale: Sotheby's, New York, December 1, 2004, lot 240]; to Private collection, New York, until 2021
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1950s Milton Avery Art

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"March Avery in Beret, " Milton Avery, American Modernism, Portrait of Artist
By Milton Avery
Located in New York, NY
Milton Clark Avery (1885 - 1965) March Avery in a Beret, 1951 Black crayon and graphite on cream wove paper 11 x 8 3/8 inches Signed and dated lower left; ...
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1950s American Modern Milton Avery Art

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Paper, Crayon, Pencil, Graphite

Nude Combing Hair
By Milton Avery
Located in New York, NY
A superb, well-inked impression of this scarce drypoint. Signed, dated and numbered 48/90 in pencil, lower margin.
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Three Birds
By Milton Avery
Located in New York, NY
A superb, richly-inked impression of this color woodcut printed on Japan paper. Artist's proof, aside from the edition of 15. Signed, dated and inscribed "Artist's proof" in pencil b...
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Milton Avery art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Milton Avery art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Milton Avery in paper, drypoint, engraving and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Milton Avery art, so small editions measuring 5 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Harry Sternberg, Lawrence Wilbur, and Walt Kuhn. Milton Avery art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $400 and tops out at $243,750, while the average work can sell for $5,500.

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