Description

Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea explores the artistic bond between three pivotal 20th century American artists—Milton Avery (1885–1965), Adolph Gottlieb (1903–1974), and Mark Rothko (1903-1970)—whose shared summers in Gloucester, Massachusetts, from the 1920s to the mid-1940s had a lasting impact on their work. The exhibit is being presented through a collaboration between the Cape Ann Museum and The Phillips Collection (Washington, D.C.). On view at the Cape Ann Museum from June 30 through September 27, 2026, the exhibition will then be displayed at The Phillips Collection from October 24, 2026, through January 24, 2027. 

As the first Cape Ann Museum generated show to then be taken on by another institution, the Museum is working in close collaboration with all three artists’ estates. The show will feature over 82 works from the 1920s to the 1960s, with loans from 26 prominent national and private institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., which is a central partner lending 10 works by Mark Rothko to the exhibition. Many works in this exhibition have never been on public view.  

This unprecedented exhibit, accompanied by a 224-page catalog produced by Rizzoli Electa, will reveal the deep connections between these artists, emphasizing their roles as both mentors and peers, while showcasing the unique working methods and lifelong friendships that shaped their groundbreaking art. The catalog, in addition to including essays by Eliza Rathbone, will also feature contributions by prominent art scholars and curators. 

Organized for the Cape Ann Museum by guest curator, Eliza Rathbone, Chief Curator Emerita of The Phillips Collection in collaboration with The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.