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.
Sponsors:
As of June 2, 2026, this exhibition has been made possible with the visionary support of:
Mollie Byrnes
Littlejohn Family Foundation
Additional leading support has been received from:
Karla and Jeff Kaneb
Susie and Stanley Trotman
With additional support from: Anonymous (2); Jackie and J.J. Bell; Kathy and John Connolly; Catherine and Peter Creighton; Henrietta Gates and Heaton Robertson; Anne Rogers Haley and John F. Haley, Jr.; Ann T. and John Hall; Beth Logan and Jeffrey Silveira; Susanna Natti and Alan Willsky; and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art.
The Museum also acknowledges the contributions of: Anonymous (4); Ada Howe Kent Foundation; Suki and Filiberto Agusti; Kathelen and Dan Amos; Hope and Robert Bachelder; Katherine Babson; Rose and Greg Beecher; Jill and Stephen Bell; Rebecca and Eric Bornstein; Karen Newman and Thomas Brooks; Tom Burger; Rebecca and Samuel Campbell; Carpenter & MacNeille Architects and Builders; Deb and Dick Carlson; Donna Caselden; The Charles Family Foundation; Ellen and Chester Clark; Lisa and Christopher Collins; Catherine and Gregory Crockett; Ellen and William Cross; Elliot B. Davis and John Paolella; Jane and Christopher Deering; John M. Ellis; Alice and Kenneth Erickson; Beauport Hospitality Group; Cai Cai and Timo Fritzinger; Toni Gal and Christopher Smallhorn; Susan P. Gardner; Lindsay and Garth Greimann; Joan and Nathaniel Gorton; Susan D. Hall; Diane and Robert Hildreth; Sara Miller and Timothy Hilton; Pamela and Robert Irwin; Sally B. Jackson; Gloria and Daniel Kearney; Janet Knott; Anne and Bill Kneisel; Amy Oaks and Gregg Kvistad; The Lunder Family; Lunder Foundation; Christine and Paul Lundberg; Kimberly McGovern; Deborah and Timothy Moore; John S. Newberry; Linda and Richard Olney; Myranda O’Bara and Jay Somers; Winifred and Leroy Parker; Beth and Jonathan Payson; John S. Rando, Jr.; Eliza Rathbone and James Sprague; Lisa and Judson Reis; Barbara and David Roberts; James Rose; Cindy and Mark Ross; Jennifer and William Ruhl; Shelagh and Jack Schylling; Hinda Simon; Val and Evelyn Somers; Frances and John Taplett; Jolinda and William Taylor; and Sallie Strand.
Image Credit: Milton Avery (1885-1965), Gorton’s Dock, c. 1931-34, gouache on brown paper. Private collection. Photo credit: Jeremy Lawson Photography. © 2025 The Milton Avery Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Installation views of “Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea” at the Cape Ann Museum. Photos © Steve Rosenthal, 2026.
Be among the first to experience this landmark publication accompanying the exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea, celebrating an extraordinary chapter in American art, on view June 30–September 27, 2026 at the Cape Ann Museum.
This stunning volume illuminates the artistic exchange between three seminal American artists—Milton Avery, Adolph Gottlieb, and Mark Rothko—underscoring the lasting significance of the summers they spent together by the sea in Gloucester during the 1930s and 1940s.
Twentieth-century American modernist Milton Avery is rarely linked to Adolph Gottlieb and Mark Rothko, who were eighteen years younger and later associated with the New York School of Abstract Expressionism. While Avery drew inspiration from the visible world, Gottlieb and Rothko developed nonrepresentational visual languages of their own. Despite these differences, the three artists formed a close-knit trio whose deep friendship and shared love of the ocean had a profound and lasting influence on their work.
This pioneering publication traces their relationship from 1932, when they first summered together on Cape Ann, through the crystallization of their ideas in the 1940s, and into the decades that followed, when each artist developed the mature, independent painting styles for which they are best known. Their late work, each in its own way, remains indebted to the time they spent together along the rocky coast and sandy beaches of Cape Ann.
Featuring more than 200 images, Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea is a compelling testament to the importance of shared community, time, and place in the evolution of modern art. Contributions by leading art historians and family members offer richly varied perspectives on artistic friendship and its enduring impact on the work of three of the twentieth century’s most celebrated artists.
Contributing Authors:
Eliza Rathbone – Curator/Editor; Chief Curator Emerita, The Phillips Collection
March Avery Cavanaugh – Artist; daughter of Milton and Sally Avery
Sean Cavanaugh – Director, Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation; Milton Avery’s grandson
Patricia Favero – Conservator, The Phillips Collection
Adam Greenhalgh – Associate Curator, National Gallery of Art
Sanford Hirsch – Executive Director, Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation
Renée Maurer – Associate Curator, The Phillips Collection
Martha Oaks – Henrietta Gates & Heaton Robertson Chief Curator, Cape Ann Museum
Kate Rothko Prizel – Retired research pathologist; daughter of Mark Rothko
Christopher Rothko – Chair, Board of Directors, Rothko Chapel; son of Mark Rothko
In association with the Cape Ann Museum and The Phillips Collection. Publisher Rizzoli Electa
To purchase and view more detailed information about the catalog, please visit our online store.
Image Credit: Milton Avery (1885-1965), Gorton’s Dock, c. 1931-34, gouache on brown paper. Private collection. Photo credit: Jeremy Lawson Photography. © 2025 The Milton Avery Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Catalog Jacket Front: Milton Avery (1885-1965), Black Sea (detail), 1959. Oil on canvas, 50 x 67 3/4″. The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC. Acquired 1965.
Explore some of the most common questions from visitors planning to view our special exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea. If you have any other questions, please contact us at [email protected] or 978-283-0455 x 110.
Why do I need to pre-purchase my Special Exhibition Ticket?
A pre-purchased ticket guarantees you admission into the Special Exhibition. Without a ticket we cannot assure entry into the exhibit. To purchase tickets to Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea, click Buy Tickets.
What does timed-entry window ticket mean?
Entry time slots are 30 minutes; visitors must enter the Special Exhibition anytime within that 30-minute window. Once you enter the exhibition, there is no limit on how long you stay.
Does the Special Exhibition ticket allow me to see the rest of the Museum?
Your timed-entry window ticket to the Special Exhibition includes General Admission. You may enter the General Museum any time before or after your visit to the Special Exhibition.
Do I need a ticket for my child even though their admission is free?
Yes, all visitors regardless of age are required to have a ticket. Youth under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Do you offer discounted admission?
We offer a variety of discounted and free admissions. Discount codes are required during purchase. See Free and Discounted Admission for all the information to visit the Museum and Special Exhibition at a discounted rate.
Do library passes give me free admission to the Special Exhibition?
CAM Library Pass holders receive a $7 discounted admission rate (for up to 2) to the special exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea. Timed-entry window tickets are required and must be reserved through the Museum by the Library Pass holder. Library Passes must be reserved through the participating library. You must present both the CAM Library Pass and a reserved ticket at check-in to be eligible for the discount.
From June 30-September 27, 2026, CAM Library Passes will be available only for the Special Exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea. This includes General Admission to the Museum.
Please reach out to your local library to see if they have a library pass for the Cape Ann Museum.
May I reserve tickets for a group?
Yes, you may purchase up to 10 tickets in a single reservation. All tickets will be emailed to the primary ticket holder. If people plan to arrive separately, the primary ticket holder must send ticket(s) to them ahead of time to ensure a timely check-in process.
May I refund or exchange tickets if my plans change?
If you would like to request a refund for Special Exhibition tickets, you must notify the Museum at least 2 Museum business days (Tuesday-Sunday) in advance from your entry time. We do not offer same day refunds, nor refunds past the ticket date.
It is the patron’s responsibility to repurchase any ticket(s).
To request a refund, please contact the Museum at 978-283-0455 x110 or email us at [email protected].
What do I need when I enter the Museum?
To expedite your entry, please have your digital or printed ticket ready to present to Visitor Service. If you are a CAM Member or have purchased a discounted ticket type, please have the applicable member cards or IDs ready to present as well.
May I bring my backpack into the Museum?
Bags smaller than 12″ x 12″ x 6″ may be carried as a handbag or worn on the front side of the body. Bags in excess of 12″ x 12″ x 6″ must be stored. Exceptions are made for medical or religious needs. Free lockers are available for use in our coatroom on a first come, first served basis. Please note that all bags are subject to inspection by Museum staff.
For additional questions regarding Museum policies, please visit Information & Amenities.
Do you have parking?
There is no Museum dedicated parking, but there are municipal lots close by. Due to the popularity of Gloucester in the summer months, please allow extra time to find parking to ensure you are not rushed for your timed-entry window to the Special Exhibition.
Please visit Directions & Parking for more detailed information.
Where is the Special Exhibition?
The Special Exhibition is on Level 4 of the Museum at the Downtown Campus. It is accessible by stairs or an elevator.
What do I need when I enter the Special Exhibition?
Please have your digital or printed ticket ready to present to the gallery attendant on Level 4. They will check your ticket to match the current time window for entry.
May I stay in the Special Exhibition for as long as I like?
Yes, you may stay until the Museum closes. Re-entry is not permitted for Special Exhibitions requiring timed-entry window tickets; once you exit, you may not re-enter.
Are there tours of the Special Exhibition?
To preserve the enjoyment of all guests, there are no guided tours of the Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea exhibition. Please visit Tours to learn more about Museum tour offerings of the General Museum and local area.
What is included in the Special Exhibition?
The show features 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.
Do you have any brochure guides of the exhibition?
There will be large print guides of the descriptions of the artworks for your use inside the exhibition.
How long does it take to view the Special Exhibition?
One can comfortably view the Special Exhibition in an hour.
Are there chairs in the exhibition?
Seating is available within the Special Exhibition and within the other exhibition galleries of the Downtown campus.
If you have further questions regarding the General Museum, please visit our Downtown Campus FAQs.
Image Credit: Sally and Milton Avery, Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1945, photograph. Private collection. © 2026 The Milton Avery Trust/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
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27 Pleasant Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-283-0455
Buy Tickets to visit the newly renovated Museum and the special exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea.
13 Poplar Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
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