Romare Bearden may not be as world-famous as his contemporaries like Dali or Warhol, but his work captured the importance of examining our shared humanity and experiences.
Renowned artists like him are discussed and dissected not because they were great at their craft, but because of how they captured the essence of their subjects.
Great art transcends its medium and connects with the audience on a deeper, almost spiritual level. Such is the case with Romare Bearden.
He showed what it was like to be Black in America, which is one of the many reasons why he is still remembered to this day.
What is the goal of the artist? Is it to showcase the beauty and fragility of life, or to hold a mirror to society and reflect on its issues and desires? Bearden did both.
Romare Bearden was born in 1911 to parents Richard and Bessye in Charlotte, NC. He grew up in North Carolina, but his family moved north to New York when he was still a toddler.
Because his family was black, their move was part of the Great Migration, which saw millions of African American families relocate from rural Southern states to industrialized Northern states in search of better opportunities.
The Bearden family settled in Harlem and became deeply integrated within the community. His household became a meeting place for many distinguished members of the Harlem Renaissance. Some of those members included Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Calvin Tomkins.
Bearden’s parents wanted him to go to school because they believed education was a path forward for him. He attended school in Harlem but ended up moving around quite a bit during his middle and high school years.
Initially, he attended DeWitt Clinton High School, but after moving to Pittsburgh in 1927, he graduated from Peabody High School.
Bearden attended several colleges for his higher education. First, he went to Lincoln University, one of the country’s oldest historically Black colleges. From there, he went to Boston University and finally to New York University.
At Boston University, Bearden tried his hand at athletics by playing baseball for a few years. But it was at NYU where he started to focus more on art.
Although Bearden studied art and contemporary masters in Europe, he was primarily self-taught when it came to producing his own paintings and collages. You can understand this point by knowing that he graduated from NYU with a degree in Science and Education in 1935.
During his college years, Bearden also dabbled in cartoons and illustrations. He first began at the Beanpot at Boston University and financially supported himself by contributing to various newspapers as a political cartoonist.
After attending Boston University, he ended up playing for the school’s varsity baseball team and was even awarded a certificate of merit for his skills. He joined the Boston Tigers shortly after moving to Boston but mostly played with them during the off-season.
In an alternate universe, Romare Bearden would be well-known for his illustrious baseball career. This is particularly noteworthy because he was offered a professional pitching position 15 years before Jackie Robinson joined Major League Baseball.
There were two primary reasons why Bearden didn’t accept the numerous offers to play professional baseball:
At first, Bearden didn’t want to deny his heritage to play baseball. Although he was African American, he had light skin, so he could “pass” as white and be more accepted by his peers. However, he didn’t want to turn his back on his culture, especially since many other African Americans didn’t have that privilege.
The second reason he decided not to play baseball was that he had once suffered an injury while playing for the Boston Tigers. Not wanting to risk his artistic talents, Bearden switched from one profession to another.
When it came to painting, Bearden liked to depict his art based on his personal life experiences. He wanted to capture the authenticity of his life. He vowed to serve as an artistic conduit for the black community.
As a result, his work offers a distinctive perspective on the Black experience. Looking at his art, one cannot help but feel connected to his work, regardless of skin color or heritage.
Bearden contracted bone cancer and died of complications from the disease in 1988. The New York Times described him as “One of America’s Pre-eminent Artists.”
Following his death, the Romare Bearden Foundation was created to assist emerging artists in discovering and refine their talents. Bearden’s hometown of Charlotte also honored him by naming a street and a park after him. His work is also featured in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Main Library.
Romare Bearden’s experience as a soldier during World War II significantly influenced his work and style. The experiences of the horrors of war led him to transition from creating realistic artworks to producing more expressionist pieces.
Ironically, while his post-war works were undoubtedly more abstract than his previous creations before joining the army, they were not abstract enough for the Samuel M. Koontz gallery. Bearden was influenced by other abstract artists, including Picasso. This is evident in his works and his collages.
During the mid-60s, Rmare enrolled in college. This was a period marked by significant social upheaval and revolution in the United States. In 1961, Romare co-founded the Spiral, a group created “for the purpose of discussing the commitment of Negro artists in the present struggle for civil liberties, and as a discussion group to consider common aesthetic problems.”
Romare continued to create collages throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
If you would like to own a piece of African American art history, we’ve compiled some of Romare’s notable works. You can bid on these artworks and take a piece of his legacy home.
Jazz has always been a cornerstone of black American culture, and Bearden was a big part of the jazz scene.
This piece depicts black musicians jamming at one of his favourite spots, Minton’s. The colour scheme and rushed feel of the artwork make it seem like he painted it as it was happening, with the frenzy of a true fan.
Romare bought a house on St. Maarten Island to share with his wife. This piece illustrates the beauty and simplicity of the Caribbean Island lifestyle.
This painting of Bearden’s combines the fluidity of jazz along with the colorful palette of modern art.
This piece is a bit more subdued than Brass Section. However, instead of focusing solely on the musician, this painting includes the audience, illustrating how music can be a shared experience.
View our currently available works of art by Romare Bearden or contact us at Dane Fine Art for assistance. We are happy to answer any questions and help you find the artwork you are looking for.
Showroom
2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
Showroom
2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
Showroom 2320 Haverford Road
Ardmore PA 19003
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