Madam Butterfly 1980

Will Barnet’s 1980 print, “Madam Butterfly,” is a striking example of his minimalist style. With simplified forms and geometric lines, the image focuses on the melancholic figure of a woman in a traditional Japanese kimono, gazing downwards as she sits on a porch with a fan at her side, a branch of a tree arcing above. Barnet, born in 1911, is well-known for his stylized figures and use of color. His work often draws inspiration from Japanese art, evident in the composition and subject matter of this piece.