Biography

Herbert Barnett was born July 8, 1910 in Providence, R.I. He started painting at the age of 14. His high school art teacher, Asa G. Randall, encouraged him to study painting at Boothbay Harbor during the summer months under Frank Allen. In the following summers he went to Rockport, Mass. and studied under Aldro Hibbard. While in high school, Herbert also took night classes at the Rhode Island School of Design. He also found time during this period to give private lessons of his own. By the time he was 18, Herbert Barnett had his first one-man show. This was at the Grace Horne Galleries in Boston.

After high school, Herbert went on to study at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. Here he studied under Philip Hale, Frank Benson, and others. He also worked with Arthur Pope and assisted him in the preparation of color charts used with his color theory.

In 1931 Herbert Barnett graduated and went on to Europe where he studied the works of the Old Masters. After returning to the U.S. in 1933 he started giving private lessons in painting and drawing at Gloucester and New York. During this period, in 1938, he was awarded the Lambert Purchase Prize from the Pennsylvania Academy.

In 1940 Herbert Barnett was appointed head of the School of the Worcester Art Museum. In 1944 he was an instructor of painting at the University of Vermont. In 1946-1951 he taught at Clark University. In 1948 he started teaching at the Yale Summer School (Norfolk Art School), and one year later became its director. In 1950 he won the Hallmark International Award. It was in 1951 that Herbert Barnett was appointed Dean of the Cincinnati Art Academy. Since 1958 he has also held the position of Professor of Art (adjunct) at the University of Cincinnati.

Herbert Barnett's works are owned by numerous museums including Cincinnati Art Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.


Source: submitted June 2003 by Gene Hinckley, is from the Cincinnati Art Club's January 1972 newsletter, the "Dragonfly". 'Focus on the Artist-Herbert Barnett", by Gene Hinckley.