Ralph Avery (American, 1906-1976) Winter, 1971 (Downtown, Rochester, New York)

Ralph Avery (American, 1906-1976)
Ralph Hillyer Avery (1906–1976) was an American watercolorist and illustrator best known for his atmospheric town and landscape scenes of Rochester, New York. A 1928 graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, he later spent 25 years on its Applied Art faculty. Avery’s work often captured fog-laden skylines, historic city homes, and abstractions of the natural terrain surrounding the region, reflecting both a deep attachment to place and a refined command of watercolor.
Among his most celebrated achievements is his seven-drawing series depicting Rochester’s iconic “Statue of Mercury,” commissioned in the late 19th century for the Kimball Tobacco Factory. The series – Silhouette at Night, Guardian of the River, A Ladder to the Sky, The Company of the Gulls, Familiar Landmark, Reflections on Spring Day, and One of These Winter Days – showcases the statue from varied vantage points and seasons. Beautifully executed and widely admired, the set was reproduced in a limited edition of 700 lithographed copies, solidifying Avery’s legacy as one of Rochester’s most beloved visual chroniclers.