Head of a Man 1935

Milton Avery created this print, "Head of a Man," using drypoint. It's difficult to date, but the portrait offers insights into the aesthetics and social attitudes of its time. Avery, working in the United States, was part of a generation of artists navigating the legacy of early modernism and the rise of distinctly American forms of expression. The man's stylized features and the stark contrast of black and white evoke the graphic style and social commentary seen in the prints of the German Expressionists. At the same time, his attire – the patterned shirt and tie – speaks to the growing culture of American professionalism and the visual codes of middle-class identity. To fully understand the print, we might turn to sources such as fashion plates, social histories of American portraiture, and Avery’s biography. Art history reminds us that meaning is never fixed but shifts with context and interpretation.