Self-portrait 

Here we see Will Barnet in a self-portrait, an intimate glimpse into the artist's world. The artist is positioned alongside his cat, against a neutral backdrop, holding paint brushes. Barnet’s choice of subject and composition creates a space for reflection on the artist's identity. His calm expression and formal attire evoke a sense of quiet introspection. The presence of the cat adds a layer of warmth and companionship to the composition. Cats recur often in Barnet’s work, and he once said “...the cat is a symbolic figure in my life.” He often paired images of women with cats. This self-portrait shows Barnet as both creative individual and as a man within domestic spaces. Barnet often combined abstraction and realism, and this self-portrait is no exception. The flat planes of colour lend the painting a modern, minimalist quality, while the artist's features and the cat are rendered with careful detail. Barnet blurs the lines between the personal and the universal, inviting us to contemplate our own identities and relationships.