The Blue Robe 1962

"The Blue Robe" (1962) by Will Barnet (1911-present) is a modernist depiction of three figures. The central figure is a woman in a blue robe, with her arm outstretched, and a black cat resting on her lap. At the bottom of the composition, a second, recumbent figure is visible, seemingly connected to the woman in the blue robe. The painting is characterized by its bold, simplified forms and use of color. Barnet's style is often described as "figurative abstraction," a term that encapsulates his approach to simplifying human forms while maintaining a sense of emotional depth.