My Wife 1937

Will Barnet made this lithograph, My Wife, using delicate shading and softly smudged pencil strokes. You can almost see him, right? Leaning in close, squinting, trying to capture the quiet concentration on his wife’s face as she sews. I imagine he wanted to immortalize this everyday moment. Think about it: she is really *in* the moment, right? In her own world. The textures are gorgeous, aren't they? See how Barnet suggests the plushness of the cushions with just a few scribbled lines? And notice the way he contrasts the smooth, pale skin of her face with the darker, rougher texture of the knitted fabric. The emotional weight of the piece feels so balanced. Like a Hopper, Bonnard, or Vuillard, Barnet invites us into a private, intimate space, a space filled with quiet affection and a shared history. Isn’t it amazing how another artist’s simple lines can spark so much feeling in us?