Reclining Woman at the Shore
c. 1943
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 19.8 x 25.8 cm (7 13/16 x 10 3/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Sally Michel Avery
Accession Number
2002.104.1.31
Art Historical Context
Milton Avery's *Reclining Woman at the Shore* (c. 1943) captures a moment of serene leisure in delicate graphite on wove paper, measuring just 19.8 x 25.8 cm. This intimate drawing exemplifies Avery's modernist approach, blending simplified forms and subtle modeling to evoke calm amid the turbulence of World War II As an American artist bridging Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism, Avery often depicted everyday scenes like beach outings, using his distinctive economy of line to prioritize emotional resonance over detail. The choice of graphite on smooth wove paper highlights Avery's mast...
About the Artist
Milton Avery
Milton Avery, born on March 7, 1885, in Altmar, New York, to a working-class family—his father a tanner—grew up in modest circumstances. After his family's move to the Hartford area of Connecticut in 1898, he took on various manual jobs, including as a mechanic, clerk, and construction worker, to support himself and relatives following family tragedies. His artistic path began around 1905 at the C...