Precursor of Abstract Expressionism
Milton Avery is regarded as a forerunner of later American Abstract Expressionism. His creations wielded a distinct influence on later Color Field painters. After they were featured in the same group exhibition in 1928, Avery and Rothko even became close friends. Subsequently, Rothko introduced him to Adolph Gottlieb, and Barnett Newman, other abstract painters of the era. In the 1950s, Avery shifted from figurative art to landscapes inspired by journeys to the US East Coast: such as Gloucester, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. Black Sea reveals his influence from European Modernists, particularly Henri Matisse. He continued to minimize detail and used less naturalistic colors to introduce more variety and contrast.