Figures on the Beach testifies to Milton Avery’s unique approach to synthesizing representation and abstraction, reflecting a calm mood that he often portrayed through isolated figures or groups set against broad, empty visual spaces. [1] Avery’s work frequently draws comparisons to other modernist masters, such as Henri Matisse, whose skill as a colorist and economy of brushwork find echoes throughout Avery’s oeuvre. In the present watercolor, Avery distills the seascape to its fundamental elements, using color to define the boundaries between sky, water, land, and figures. Avery manipulates perspective and texture to command the pictorial space and create visual depth. The gray beach umbrella, for instance, partially obscures the jetty in the upper right of the composition, which Avery renders with dynamic, multi-directional strokes. The towel beneath the umbrella further demonstrates Avery’s innovative techniques, employing a tool, possibly the back of a paintbrush, to introduce additional textures. The figures turned away from the viewer, are rendered anonymous archetypes with a universal appeal. By emphasizing the emotional resonance of color and form, Avery invites viewers to engage with the scene and reflect on their own interpretations of space and presence.

[1] Barbara Haskell, Milton Avery, New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1982, pp. 161, 164