Milton Avery 1885 - 1965

Richard Gray Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
A New York gallery
Acquired by the present owner from the above, circa 1970s

Very good condition, lined, faint craquellure in upper register. Under UV: A 1/2 in. thin vertical line in hen's tail fluoresces (probably a drip of varnish), artist's pentimento of additional signature and date (1950) in lower left.
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.

Hen and Cock displays the remarkable range of imaginative possibilities Milton Avery conjured during a long and prolific career. A deceptively simple organization of color, line and shape mixed with characteristic whimsy and sensitivity, the picture achieves an unusual monumentality that belies its subject. By the time he completed this work in 1951, he had solidly established his compositional format of using flat planes of color, juxtaposed in careful relationship to each other, to create a two-dimensional design. While the hen and rooster are easily recognizable, they are reduced to connecting forms in which a shared single curve simultaneously defines the back of the rooster and the shape of the hen.  The rooster's yellow tail doubles as a human hand, as if cradling and protecting the hen, but can alternately be interpreted as the hen's  own wing. Avery's flat, dry areas of color are accented by occasional expressive brushwork, like the zigzag  pattern that adds a decorative layer to the rooster's crest. To add dimension to the surface and interrupt its flatness, Avery used the back of his brush to create the concentric circles around the eyes of each bird, recalling the curvature of a hypnotic spiral in the hen's eye. Quiet and reserved, Milton Avery conveyed his personality and dry wit through his paintings, famously stating "Why talk when I can paint?"