The Blue Thread

Will Barnet, The Blue Thread, 1984, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Frank K. Ribelin and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1996.72
Will Barnet, The Blue Thread, 1984, oil on canvas, 38 3⁄8 x 72 3⁄8 in. (97.4 x 83.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Frank K. Ribelin and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1996.72

Artwork Details

Title
The Blue Thread
Artist
Date
1984
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
38 3⁄8 x 72 3⁄8 in. (97.4 x 83.9 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Frank K. Ribelin and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — cat
  • Figure group — female and child
  • Occupation — domestic — sewing
  • Recreation — leisure — home life
  • Object — toy
  • Architecture Interior — detail — window
Object Number
1996.72
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.72

Artwork Description

Will Barnet has painted several images of mothers and children that capture intimate scenes of family life. In The Blue Thread, the verticals and horizontals of the windows, table, and chair divide the painting into neat rectangles, and Barnet positioned his daughter, her son, and the family cat so that they evoke figures from an Egyptian wall painting. The subdued tones and stylized poses transform a fleeting moment in his household into an image that feels timeless.

Works by this artist (32 items)

View all artworks
Will Barnet, Positano, 1960, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., 1969.47.4
Positano
Artist
Date1960
oil on canvas
On view
Will Barnet, Mother and Child, ca. 1945, lithographic crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1994.42.5
Mother and Child
Artist
Dateca. 1945
lithographic crayon on paper
Not on view
Will Barnet, Sleeping Child, 1961, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.1
Sleeping Child
Artist
Date1961
oil on canvas
Not on view
Will Barnet, Study for Summer, ca. 1986, charcoal on vellum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1994.42.4
Study for Summer
Artist
Dateca. 1986
charcoal on vellum
Not on view

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      An interview with the artist Will Barnet. Will Barnet studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, then moved to New York in 1930 to attend the Art Students League. After his first son was born, Barnet began a series of paintings that show scenes of family life. He experimented with abstraction for several years, aiming to "eliminate realistic space" in favor of simple geometric forms. His later work is more representational and focuses almost entirely on the female form. ("Will Barnet, Works of Six Decades," American Art Review, June-July 1994)