Milton Avery : American Colourist

Colourful exhibition at the Royal Academy looking at the life and work of American artists, Milton Avery.

Avery bridged the gap between Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism. I think of them as very different concepts so it was interesting to see it happen. He was a friend of Rothko, Gottlieb and Barnett Newman.

The show began with soft Van Gogh like landscapes before he moved into thinner paint and becomes more blocky. I loved “Fox River Village” from 1938 with a swoop of a bay and sketched in houses.

His portraits and domestic work again became blocky. My favourite work in the show was “Seated Girl With a Dog”” from 1944 show here. He regularly did a painting a day. Him and his wife were known as welcoming hosts and I did get a sense of friendship from the show. Almost Bloomsbury Group like!

The later works were very blocked. Think Rothko but with a subject.

Closes 16 October 2022


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