1. The Art and Influences of Romare Bearden Romare Bearden. (American, 1911-1988).

2. The origin of collage is attributed to both Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso. Each artist utilized the method at the turn of the 20th century. However, prior to this, Italian portrait painters had pasted small pieces of chain, gilded paper, and sometimes real stones and jewels onto their canvases.

3. The Street 1964 Bearden, Romare Collage of various papers on cardboard 12 7/8 x 15 3/8 in. Gift of Friends of Art and African American Art Acquisition Fund

4. Sargent Johnson American (Boston, Massachusetts, 1888 - 1967, San Francisco, California) Forever Free 1933 sculpture | wood with lacquer on cloth SFMOMA Bearden was influenced by the work of Sargent Johnson who preceded him during the Harlem Renaissance. Sargent was the first African American artist to receive national recognition. Both artists were influenced by African art, particularly statues and masks.

5. Mask Igbo people, 19th–20th century Nigeria 40.64 cm (16 in.) Wood, pigment Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of William E. and Bertha L. Teel, 1994 An example of African mask art that influenced Bearden’s work. Romare Bearden, Pittsburgh Memory, 1964 collage of printed papers with graphite on cardboard Collection of halley k harrisburg and Michael Rosenfeld, New York

6. The Dove . 1964. MOMA Cut-and-pasted printed paper, gouache, pencil, and colored pencil on board. 133.8 x 183.4" (33.8 x 47.5cm). Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, 1971. The art of Collage lends itself to improvisation because things can be moved around and easily changed – similarity to jazz

7. Georges Braque 'The Blue Mandolin' 1930, Museum of Art, St. Louis, Missouri Romare Bearden Serenade , 1969 collage and paint on panel. Bearden was influenced by Picasso and Braque– both Cubism (simple and massive forms) and Collage.

8. Pablo Picasso. (Spanish, 1881-1973). Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny Tellier) . Paris, late spring 1910. Oil on canvas, 39 1/2 x 29" (100.3 x 73.6 cm). Romare Bearden Prevalence of Ritual: Conjur Woman, 1964 Powerfully composed and in a limited palette, the central face once again projects a Cubist flavor, which in turn was based on African masks.