Milton Avery

Private Collection, New York

Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above by descent)

Thence by descent to the present owner

In 1932, following the birth of his beloved daughter March, Milton Avery frequently revisited the theme of the mother and child in his work. The present watercolor captures the artist's interest in domestic life and his affinity for depicting those closest to him. Executed on a dark colored paper, this work possesses a more somber palette than is often typical for Avery, but one that he adopted more frequently in the thirties. In spite of these darker, moody colors, though, there is a playful energy evident within this subject matter. The juxtaposition between the striped garments worn by the female sitter and the spotted patterning adorned by the child highlights Avery's penchant for harmonizing color. The emphasis on the woman and child while the background of the composition remains empty speaks to his prioritization of only the most important elements of each picture.