Romare Bearden was an inventive American modern artist whose unique visual style set him apart. Working with a variety of media, Bearden made paintings distinguished by a bold use of color and rich texture. His figurative, landscape and portrait prints had influences ranging from Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso to traditional Japanese, Chinese and African art.
Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1911. He pursued a degree in education and attended Lincoln University, Boston University and New York University. At New York University he began taking courses in art. During his time there, he served as the art editor and lead cartoonist at a journal called The Medley. To further his creative passions, Bearden attended the Art Students League of New York. From 1935 to 1937, he was the editorial cartoonist for the Baltimore Afro-American.
Bearden worked as a social worker from the mid-1930s until the 1960s. He continued creating art during his evenings and weekends and began exhibiting in solo shows across the United States in the 1940s. Bearden would go on to exhibit throughout Europe.
Bearden was a prolific writer on social issues, and his words complemented his art. He was active in African American advocacy groups and helped found important community art venues and organizations like the Harlem Cultural Council in 1964 and the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1968. He also published books on art and African American art history.
Bearden earned many prestigious honors, including honorary doctorates from Davidson College, Atlanta University, Carnegie Mellon University and Pratt Institute. Bearden also received the New York City Mayor’s Award of Honor for Art and Culture in 1984 and the National Medal of Arts in 1987, presented by President Ronald Reagan. He died in New York City on March 12, 1988.
Today, Bearden's work is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
On 1stDibs, find Romare Bearden’s prints, paintings, mixed media and more.
Romare Bearden Original Watercolor Cityscape Painting
By Romare Bearden
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Romare Bearden Title: Untitled Medium: Original Watercolor on Paper Size: Sheet measures 9.375" x 12.675" Year: c. 1980 Inscription: Signed in pencil on front upper left Fort...
Paper, Watercolor
Price Upon Request
The Soul Never Dwells in a Dry Place
By Romare Bearden
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Romare Bearden, American (1911 - 1988) Title: The Soul Never Dwells in a Dry Place Date: October, 1946 Medium: Oil on Masonite, signed l.l. Size: 24 in. x 31 in. (60.96 ...
Oil
$1,455Sale Price|20% Off
H 32 in W 26 in
Large 20th Century French Post-Cubist Oil Painting La Lavandiere Washing Clothes
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
La Lavandiere by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 32 x 26 inches Provenance: all the paintings we have by this artist have c...
Oil
$3,187Sale Price|20% Off
H 32 in W 39 in
Huge 1950's Post-Cubist French Oil Painting Grey Nude Lady Bath Interior Scene
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Nude Lady In Grey Bathroom Interior by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 32 x 39 inches Provenance: unsigned, all the paintin...
Oil
$5,382
H 23.63 in W 19.3 in
Modern Cubist Still Life with Natural Palette, Oil and Acrylic Painting, 60x49cm
By Grégoire Mathias
Located in PÉRIGUEUX, FR
Nature Morte aux Fruits (Still Life with Fruit) Oil and acrylic on canvas 60 × 49 cm Nature Morte aux Fruits revisits the traditional still life through a structured, cubist constru...
Canvas, Acrylic, Oil
Russian Cubist Portrait of a Woman
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful cubist portrait of a woman by unknown Russian artist. Oil on canvas measures 17 x 25 inches. Signed and dated lower right. Label fragments affixed on verso.
Canvas, Oil
$3,984
H 20.87 in W 16.54 in D 0.6 in
Child on a Swing, Charlie Mackesy, Vintage Watercolour, Sea, Childhood, Beach
By Charlie Mackesy
Located in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh
Child on a Swing by British artist and illustrator Charlie Mackesy is a vintage watercolour which is signed and dated 1986. This piece captures a tender, sunlit moment set against ...
Watercolor, Archival Paper
$2,600
H 18.12 in W 15.36 in D 0.79 in
Mystical Portrait, Universal Woman Haitian School of Beauty Caribean painting
Located in Norwich, GB
A captivating oil painting by the Haitian master, Albert Desmangles. This piece is a wonderful example of his work within the highly sought-after School of Beauty art movement, which...
Masonite, Oil, Acrylic
$1,775
H 15 in W 19 in D 1 in
Antique American Modernist Cubist Ballet Dancers Framed Original Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Very finely executed modernist ballet scene. Pastel and gouache on paper. Handsomely framed. Image size, 12H by 16L.
Canvas, Oil
$795
H 29 in W 41 in D 3 in
Mid Century Modern Cubist Painting w/ Figures of Children by Spurlock c.1950
Located in San Francisco, CA
Mid century modern figural abstract painting with a touch of cubism. Original oil on canvas. Dimensions 35 1/2" x 23 1/2". Frame dimensions 41" x 29". Very good vintage conditi...
Canvas, Oil
$1,401Sale Price|20% Off
H 24 in W 36 in D 1 in
French Modernist Harbour Scene with Boats Colourful Coastal Oil Painting 1950's
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Harbour Original oil painting by Jacques COURTADE (French, 1923-1994). Post-Impressionist/ modernist oil painting by the superb 20th century French artist, Jacques COURTADE (192...
Oil
$2,175
H 36.23 in W 25.6 in D 1.19 in
Cubist-Inspired Female Portrait, Oil on Canvas, Early 20th Century Inspiration
By Menachem Gueffen
Located in NANTES, FR
This Cubist-inspired portrait of a woman was created by the painter Menachem Gueffen. Faithful to the artist’s figurative-expressionist style, this oil on canvas is distinguished by ...
Burlap, Oil
$1,600
H 18 in W 13.75 in
Israeli Cubist Modernist Oil Painting "Rosh Shiryon Abir" Armor
By Shlomo Zafrir
Located in Surfside, FL
Shlomo Zafrir is active/lives in Israel, France. Shlomo Zafrir is known for cubist painting. Shlomo Zafrir is a painter and, at the same time, the owner of a nightclub called Omar K...
Canvas, Oil
$12,000
H 26 in W 24 in
Canterbury Bells Floral Still Life, Female Cubist Artist, Cleveland School
By Clara Deike
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clara Deike (American, 1881-1965) Canterbury Bells, c. 1932 Oil on canvas 26 x 24 inches 31.25 x 29.5 inches, framed Exhibited: The Women's Art Club of Cleveland, 1932 A graduate of...
Oil