Before the Dark
Artist
Romare Bearden
(American, 1911 - 1988)
Date1971
MediumCollage on cardboard
DimensionsOverall: 18 x 24in. (45.7 x 61cm)
Framed: 18 1/2 x 24 5/16in. (47 x 61.8cm)
Framed: 18 1/2 x 24 5/16in. (47 x 61.8cm)
ClassificationsPAINTINGS
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Terms
Object number72.8
Description On View
On viewCollections
Copyright© Romare Bearden Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY
Label TextRomare Bearden was a master of collage, the process of pasting different images together to create a new picture. He developed a distinct personal style, based in part on his extensive knowledge of art from numerous cultures. The figures he formed from colorful scraps of paper often resemble elegant figures from ancient Egyptian art.
In Before the Dark Bearden portrays a group of people - presumably family members - around a table. The standing woman at the center carries a bowl, while the man on the left points to where he wants her to place it. To the right, another woman sits drinking from a coffee cup. A guitar rests at their feet. The title of this collage could refer to the time of day when families have their evening meal, before the sun sets. Bearden, however, also alludes to ritualistic meals (which are often accompanied by music) and all that is suggested by "breaking bread" together - in celebration or sorrow.
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