Macena Barton (1901-1986) was a notable American painter and a key figure in the Chicago art scene of the 1930s and 40s. A committed feminist, she was known for her richly colored portraits, still lifes, and surrealist paintings, often incorporating fantasy and science fiction elements. Though she studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she developed a distinct, self-taught style that was both realistic and dreamlike, earning her recognition as one of the foremost surrealist painters of her generation in Chicago.
Barton's work often possessed a "naive" quality, a term not meant to imply a lack of skill but rather a unique, unpolished charm that added to the unsettling nature of her surreal compositions. This style differentiated her from many of her contemporaries, including her friend and peer, Gertrude Abercrombie, another prominent Chicago surrealist. While Abercrombie’s work often featured stark interiors and enigmatic landscapes, Barton’s surrealism was more directly tied to a fantastical, and at times, jarring, fusion of the mundane and the otherworldly.
Among her varied and compelling works, "Flemish Girl at Chicago Window" stands as a poignant example of her artistic vision. The painting juxtaposes a seemingly out-of-time figure with the gritty reality of a Chicago cityscape, creating a subtle disembodiment that is a hallmark of her surrealist tendencies. The work embodies the fusion of styles she mastered—the meticulous detail of a portraitist combined with the imaginative leaps of a surrealist. This significant piece is the newest acquisition of The Bennett Collection.
While Barton was celebrated in her time, winning numerous awards and exhibiting at prestigious venues, her work experienced a period of relative obscurity. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence of interest, particularly in her more overtly surreal paintings, such as those depicting disembodied, screaming heads. This newfound attention is solidifying her legacy and drawing her into the same league as other once-overlooked Chicago artists, such as Gertrude Abercrombie, who have also experienced a recent re-appraisal of their work and influence.
Image Credit:
Flemish Girl at Chicago Window, 1930
Oil on Canvas, 24” x 22”