Will Barnet was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 1911, and he knew by age ten that he wanted to be an artist. He studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and later at the Art Students League of New York. He saw John Singer Sargent at work on murals, which left a lasting impression on him.
He began teaching at the Art Students League in 1936 and influenced a generation of artists, including James Rosenquist and Cy Twombly. He also taught at Yale, Cooper Union, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He was a dedicated teacher who shaped many careers.
His work spanned eighty years and moved through several phases. In the 1930s he painted social realist scenes with dark tones. In the 1940s he explored Modernism and Indian Space Painting. In the 1950s he worked in Abstract Expressionism.
In the 1960s he settled into his signature style of representational minimalism. His later works are known for clean lines and flat surfaces of solid color. He often painted his wife Elena, his daughter Ona, and their pets in scenes of domestic tranquility.
“Barnet’s work makes us experience the interplay between the personal and the universal.” — James Thomas Flexner
His works are held in major collections like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney, and the Museum of Modern Art. He had over eighty solo exhibitions during his lifetime. He received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama in 2011.
He was also awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by France in 2012. He was a member of the National Academy of Design and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His career was one of constant evolution and deep reflection.
Will Barnet died in New York City on November 13, 2012, at the age of 101. He left behind a legacy of over eight decades of art making. Few artists can claim such a long and productive career.
Q: What defines Will Barnet’s artistic legacy?
A: His ability to evolve through multiple artistic movements over eighty years while maintaining a personal, formalist approach. He moved from social realism to Modernism to Abstract Expressionism before settling into his signature minimalist representational style. His work explores the interplay between the personal and the universal, often depicting family life with clean lines and flat colors.