March Seated in a Landscape 1943

Milton Avery created this ink on paper sketch, "March Seated in a Landscape." Avery came of age during the rise of American Modernism, and his work sits at the intersection of abstraction and representation. We can think about the landscape as a space that has historically been gendered female. Here, the woman, March, is not so much in the landscape, but she is of it. We see the lines blur between her body and the environment, creating an intimate connection. The loose, fluid lines suggest a sense of immediacy, as if Avery is capturing a fleeting moment in time. This evokes an emotional response in the viewer, inviting us to contemplate our own relationship with the natural world. With its pared-down forms and emphasis on color and mood, this sketch offers a glimpse into Avery's unique vision and his contribution to American art.