Herbert Barnett was an American artist whose life and work was closely tied to New England, and yet, his distinctive style of painting drew heavily upon the artistic innovations of Cubism.

Barnett’s working method is best exemplified by his still life painting which frequently feature fruit, bottles, and other everyday objects balanced on tilted, topsy-turvy tabletops.  He began each work by quickly drawing with the brush to capture the basic contours of his subject.  Next, he made a tonal underpainting in oil wash to indicate the most prominent volumes as areas of light and shadow.  The painted surface consists of a pattern of discreet, rectangular brushstrokes.  Barnett's emphasis on structure clearly reflects his admiration for Cezanne and the Cubists.