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Bearden is posed sitting on a chair in front of palm leaves, probably on Reynolda House’s sun porch. His dark suit and turtleneck are relieved only by the white triangle of the handkerchief in his left pocket and the bright buckle on his belt. He sits with his left hand on his hip, a gesture that reveals his girth. His right arm is relaxed in his lap. He does not look directly at the camera, but up to his left, and has a smile on his face. The graceful curve and lattice-like design of the palm leaves serve to soften the image.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden migrated north as a child with his family to Pittsburgh and Harlem. A visit to Reynolda House might have had special meaning to him and brought back childhood memories of visits with relatives in Mecklenburg County as such visits are often featured in his work. Bearden’s exploitation of collage and photo-collage has its roots in Pablo Picasso’s African-inspired work and also reflects Bearden’s love of jazz. Mullaly’s depiction of Bearden shows him at ease and confident. A small exhibition of Bearden’s work drawn from public and private collections was on view in conjunction with his visit. He gave a lecture on October 20,1982, followed by an informal gathering the next day. According to the museum's annual report for that year, Bearden “pleased large audiences with anecdotes about the Harlem Renaissance and his years in Paris.” [1]
Notes:
[1] Reynolda House, Annual Report, 1982–1983, archives, Reynolda House Museum of American Art.
ProvenanceFrom 1993
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, given by the artist in December 1993. [1]
Notes:
[1] Email from artist, June 13, 2006, object file.
Exhibition History2006
Self/Image: Portraiture from Copley to Close
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC (8/30/2006-12/30/2006)
Published References
DepartmentAmerican Art
Romare Bearden
Artist
Susan Mullally
(born 1947)
Subject
Romare Bearden
(1911 - 1988)
Date1982
Mediumsilver gelatin print
DimensionsFrame: 14 1/4 x 14 1/4 in. (36.2 x 36.2 cm)
Image: 7 5/8 x 7 3/4 in. (19.4 x 19.7 cm)
SignedSusan Mullally Clark 1982
Credit LineGift of the Artist
Copyright© Susan Mullally
Object number1987.2.8
DescriptionSusan Mullally’s assignment was to record the visits of artists to Reynolda House, and to capture them in a way that showed a portion of the house. More often than not, the artists were so imposing and engaging that the setting became secondary. This is the case with her likeness of African-American artist Romare Bearden (1911–1988). Bearden is posed sitting on a chair in front of palm leaves, probably on Reynolda House’s sun porch. His dark suit and turtleneck are relieved only by the white triangle of the handkerchief in his left pocket and the bright buckle on his belt. He sits with his left hand on his hip, a gesture that reveals his girth. His right arm is relaxed in his lap. He does not look directly at the camera, but up to his left, and has a smile on his face. The graceful curve and lattice-like design of the palm leaves serve to soften the image.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden migrated north as a child with his family to Pittsburgh and Harlem. A visit to Reynolda House might have had special meaning to him and brought back childhood memories of visits with relatives in Mecklenburg County as such visits are often featured in his work. Bearden’s exploitation of collage and photo-collage has its roots in Pablo Picasso’s African-inspired work and also reflects Bearden’s love of jazz. Mullaly’s depiction of Bearden shows him at ease and confident. A small exhibition of Bearden’s work drawn from public and private collections was on view in conjunction with his visit. He gave a lecture on October 20,1982, followed by an informal gathering the next day. According to the museum's annual report for that year, Bearden “pleased large audiences with anecdotes about the Harlem Renaissance and his years in Paris.” [1]
Notes:
[1] Reynolda House, Annual Report, 1982–1983, archives, Reynolda House Museum of American Art.
ProvenanceFrom 1993
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC, given by the artist in December 1993. [1]
Notes:
[1] Email from artist, June 13, 2006, object file.
Exhibition History2006
Self/Image: Portraiture from Copley to Close
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC (8/30/2006-12/30/2006)
Published References
Status
Not on viewCollections
June 19, 1980