March at a Table (March on Terrace) 1948

Milton Avery made this drypoint etching, *March at a Table*, in 1948. The pared-down quality of the mark making in this print really strikes me; it’s like he’s drawing with the bare minimum, just enough to suggest a figure sitting on a terrace. Look at the texture, the way the drypoint burr catches the ink, creating a soft, velvety line. This gives the print a real sense of depth and atmosphere. The lines are sparse, but they’re so evocative, like the vertical hatching behind the sitter that becomes a shorthand for the view. It is almost as if there is a rain storm happening. The economy of Avery's style reminds me a bit of Matisse's line drawings, the way he could capture so much with so little. But Avery has his own distinct flavor, a kind of laid-back American sensibility. He shows us that a work can embrace ambiguity, and still be compelling.