Little Girl 1936

Milton Avery made this etching titled, 'Little Girl' in 1936, and what strikes me is the directness of the line. Avery’s mark-making feels intuitive, process-driven, like he’s thinking through the image as he makes it. There's a tangible quality to the etched lines, a kind of scumble where the light catches. The texture is alive; notice the delicate web of lines forming the little girl’s dress, her legs, and the chair – the way the lines vary in weight and direction, creating a sense of depth and volume. I keep coming back to the little girl's hair, it's so free and untamed. This work reminds me of Picasso's explorations of line and form, though Avery brings a distinctly American sensibility to it. Like much great art, it invites us to linger, to question, and to find our own meanings within its understated beauty.