In the Garden
Artist
Romare Bearden
(American, 1911-1988)
Date1979
MediumLithograph in color
DimensionsFrame Size: 29 1/2 × 22 in. (74.9 × 55.9 cm)
Image Size: 22 × 16 in. (55.9 × 40.6 cm)
ClassificationsPrint
Credit LineGift of Ronald Stone, 1980
Object numberUAC2026
DescriptionIn the Garden by Romare Bearden was donated to the Wayne State University Art Collection by Ronald Stone in 1980, a year after it was completed. It is representative of Bearden’s signature style that pairs scenes of the “quotidian” of African American life with bold colors and crisp contours- seemingly like paper that is cut and arranged together. The central figure is a woman in her garden, picking tulips or other harvest. Although the garden is lush and the atmosphere is optimistic, her bare feet and the ragged hem of her dress allude to the poor quality of life which she may live, a sharp comment on conditions for blacks in rural America, especially during Bearden’s lifetime (1911-1988). This scene reflects the southern settings Bearden grew up around. Throughout his artistic career, he depicts moments from the places he had become familiar with, including North Carolina, Harlem and Pittsburgh. Bearden’s artworks aim to capture the spirit and essence of average African American life, evident in In the Garden. Bearden graduated from New York University in 1935 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. After NYU, he spent time as a political cartoonist for The Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, showed in local art exhibitions, and had begun establishing his literary oeuvre. In 1950 he travelled to Paris to study philosophy. Bearden is known to be a progressive supporter of young African American artists. He participated in the foundation of the Studio Museum in Harlem in 1968 and the Cinque gallery in the early 1970s. Throughout his career, Bearden was honored with numerous awards. He has received honorary doctorates from the Pratt Institute of Design, Carnegie Mellon University, and Davidson College in North Carolina. In 1984 he was awarded the Mayor’s Award of Honor for Art and Culture in New York City, and in 1987 the National Medal of Art, presented to him by President Ronald Reagan.
Danielle Cervera Bidigare
Picture of the Week, 04/16/2018
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