Will Barnet (1911-2012)
The Sled
The Architecture of Memory.
Will Barnet lived for a century, traversing the erratic landscape of American art from Abstract Expressionism to his own unique form of figurative precision. He did not paint moments; he painted the silence between them.
The Sled (1984) is a meditation in charcoal on vellum. Barnet reduces a nostalgic winter scene to its structural essence. There is no noise here, only the balance of silhouettes and the stark contrast of black and white. It is a composition of architectural rigor applied to human memory.
Why it matters: A piece with serious pedigree at an entry-level price point. Exhibited at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum and the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, this work confirms Barnet’s status as a master who found monumentality in the quietest of subjects.
Details:
Charcoal on vellum.
78.1 x 92.1 cm (30 ¾ x 36 ¼ in).
Signed and dated lower right: June/Will Barnet 1984.
Market Context:
Auction: Shannons, Milford.
Date: 30 Oct 2025.
Estimate: $3,500.