Milton Avery 1885-1965

Mr. and Mrs. William H. Weintraub (acquired from the artist)
By descent in the family to the present owner

Very good condition; unlined; craquelure, stretcher bar mark along upper edge, under UV: fine.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Parisian art dealer Paul Rosenberg arrived in America in 1940 determined to represent American painters alongside his stable of European artists which included Braque, Matisse and Picasso.  When Milton Avery joined his gallery in 1943, Rosenberg provided him with both monetary support and critical encouragement, helping to energize the artist and rekindle his confidence. At Rosenberg's suggestion Avery, like Picasso, began adding dates to his canvases alongside his enlarged signature. In Avery's Self-Portrait of 1947, the title, signature and date sprawl graffiti-like across a tan color panel, announcing ownership and new self-assurance. 

Avery incessantly sketched the world around him: his apartment, his wife, his daughter, even household items.  A quiet man, he would often sit and sketch silently when guests visited, but when no model presented itself he painted self-portraits. Barbara Haskell writes, "Avery introduced elements of humor into these self-portraits and early genre scenes through scale distortion, exaggerated color, and caricature. Although often compared in reviews of the thirties to the comic illustrations of James Thurber, Avery's humor is neither satirical or biting; rather, it takes the form of a gentle playfulness, revealing the wry New England humor friends came to expect from him" (Milton Avery, 1982, p. 33).