Milton Avery: The Late Paintings

Invitingly quirky and rich in subtle hues, the landscapes and other canvases of Milton Avery (1885-1965) made him America's closest approach to Matisse. Avery's 1982 retrospective drew crowds and rave reviews, but his reputation has fallen: Was he too pretty? Was he apolitical? Milton Avery: The Late Paintings aims to restore his prestige, with big, handsome plates of his work (87 images, 52 in color). Intelligent text by curator Robert Hobbs links Avery's oeuvre to 1950s trends, to Ober-critic Clement Greenberg and to the poet Wallace Stevens; Hobbs also reprints Greenberg's own essay on Avery. The corresponding exhibit arrives at the Milwaukee Art Museum in November, and then moves to West Palm Beach, Fla. (Oct.)