Sally with Beret
1939
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
drypoint in brown on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 20.2 x 16.2 cm (7 15/16 x 6 3/8 in.) sheet: 37.9 x 33 cm (14 15/16 x 13 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of the Avery Family, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1991.233.15
Art Historical Context
In 1939, American modernist Milton Avery created *Sally with Beret*, delicate drypoint print capturing an intimate portrait likely of a loved one—perhaps his daughter or a close muse—adorned with a chic beret. Avery, renowned for his poetic blend of realism and abstraction, forms into lyrical shapes and subtle color harmonies, influencing later Abstract Expressionists like Mark Rothko and Robert Motherwell. This work from his mature period reflects the era's American modernism, bridging European influences with a distinctly personal, introspective style amid the eve of World War II. The drypo...
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...