Romare Bearden (Single Title: Biography: Arts, Music and Literature) [Library Binding]

Myron Schwartzman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999 | Series: Single Title: Biography: Arts, Music and Literature

Recounts the life of the twentieth-century African-American collage artist who used his southern childhood, New York City, jazz, and Paris to influence his bold and meaningful art.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Although this book reads like an art-history text, it leaves readers with a sound knowledge of Bearden. Sometimes the art seems to take over and the biography becomes secondary, but for researchers looking for a strict chronological view, there is a time line appended. Two sets of full-color plates represent a sampling of his work, and pencil-sketch diagrams demonstrate some of the techniques used in planning the pictures. Schwartzman's descriptions of paintings and collages not shown here are so rich that readers can close their eyes and almost see them. The page numbers of paintings that are reproduced are italicized in the index. An interesting addition to most collections.
Marilyn Fairbanks, Azure IRC, Brockton High School, MA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Schwartzman knew Bearden personally and wrote the authorized adult biography, Romare Bearden: His Life and Art (1990). In this YA biography, he discusses the great artist's work in considerable detail, showing how Bearden worked in many different media (including collage, watercolor, and silk screen) and drew on a diverse multitude of cultures and traditions, from Chinese landscape to French impressionism, finding universals in the particulars of his own African American experience. The account of Bearden's personal life is dull, mostly plodding facts about places and dates, but this is a stirring account for teens interested in the artist and his times. The detailed discussion of individual paintings is the high point of the book, and there are many fine (if small) reproductions on high-quality paper in two groups of inserts. Unfortunately, the book design doesn't bring the text and pictures together, not even with page numbers. So while readers learn about a painting, they'll be searching everywhere for the reproduction to see what Schwartzman is talking about. A detailed chronology and a bibliography are appended. Hazel Rochman

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Library Binding: 144 pages
• Publisher: Franklin Watts (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531113876
• ISBN-13: 978-0531113875
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,952,660 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.