Will Barnet Abstract Paintings
American, 1911-2012
At the beginning of his career, Will Barnet was known for his figural depictions of domestic scenes. But, as he continued to stylistically develop, Barnet arrived at abstract geometric paintings far removed from his original career. A part of the Indian Space Painters group, Barnet was inspired by Native American art in creating these divergent images. Throughout his career, Barnet oscillated between representational and abstract paintings, never fully settling on one. He has received the National Medal of Arts in 2011, and his work has been displayed at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.(Biography provided by Rafael Gallery)
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Artist: Will Barnet
Dark Image
By Will Barnet
Located in New York, NY
Dark Image, 1960 by Will Barnet (1911-2012)
Oil on canvas
53 x 30 ½ inches unframed (134.62 x 77.47 cm)
55 ½ x 32 ⅞ inches framed (140.979 x 96.2152 cm)
Signed and dated on top right on the reverse
Description:
This abstract oil painting by Will Barnet uses minute gradations in value to achieve a work that presents a contextual understanding of color. Upon first inspection, it looks as if Barnet has created a completely black canvas with some hints at forms in the darkness; however, upon a closer look, the canvas is, in fact, not black, but instead comprised of varied shades of dark, muted blues, grays, and purples. Barnet presents us with an illusion of vision, asking the viewer to question his perspective and understanding of color interplay.
At the beginning of his career, Will Barnet was known for his figural depictions of domestic scenes. But, as he continued to stylistically develop, Barnet arrived at abstract geometric paintings far removed from his original career. A part of the Indian Space...
Category
1960s Abstract Will Barnet Abstract Paintings
Materials
Oil
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Previously Available Items
"Untitled (Abstract), " Will Barnet, American Modernism
By Will Barnet
Located in New York, NY
Will Barnet (1911 - 2012)
Untitled (Abstract), 2012
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Signed and dated on the reverse
Provenance:
The artist
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Acquired by the present owner from the above, 2016
Born in 1911 in Beverly, Massachusetts, as a child Barnet enjoyed climbing the hills to watch the ships in the harbor, playing baseball, and reading at the local public library. He was excited to discover the art section. As he remembers, " I used to bury myself in those rooms day after day. It was practically my whole life. That's where my first yearning for art began." (1) At the age of 12 he established a studio in his parent's basement where he drew and painted. He made frequent trips to Boston and Salem to explore the collections of the Peabody and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Continually dissatisfied with high school, in his last year he decided to leave. In 1927 Barnet enrolled at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where he learned drawing, painting, anatomy, and art history in the European tradition.
After several years, Barnet decided to continue his study at the Art Student's League in New York, where he developed an interest in lithography, etching, and woodcutting. Between 1932 and 1942 Barnet became an avid printmaker, using the medium to capture the economic and social despair of the Depression years. He was a member of the Graphic Art Division of the Works Progress Administration Federal Art Project and knew the Mexican artists José Clemente Orozco, for whom he printed lithographs, and Diego Rivera. In 1935 he married the painter and fellow student Mary Sincliar and the following year was appointed instructor of graphics at the Art Student's League. He would subsequently teach at the New School for Social Research, at New Jersey State Teachers College, and from 1945-1978 at Cooper Union in New York.
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Ahab
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Will Barnet abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Will Barnet abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Will Barnet in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1960s and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Will Barnet abstract paintings, so small editions measuring 19 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Stanley Twardowicz, Michael Braden, and Pawel Kontny. Will Barnet abstract paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $8,500 and tops out at $65,000, while the average work can sell for $58,000.