Original reviews, 1973-1974, of
The Art of Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual
by M. Bunch Washington (Abrams, 1973)
The Art of Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual
by M. Bunch Washington (Abrams, 1973)
"This excellent and unusual volume is undoubtedly and most certainly ... the finest that has been released about an
African American artist."
--Dr. Margaret T. Burroughs, Director, the DuSable Museum, Chicago, Ill.
"The Art of Romare Bearden is the first major book ever written about a Black American artist . . . It is only fair to note that even without the beautiful illustrations of Bearden's work of the past 30 years, this book could be considered a work of art, for the text is eloquent, poetic, deeply moving..."
--Ruth Latter, The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Va.
"Washington's text for Bearden is marvelously eloquent. This man Washington is a major master of English prose, and his text, richly compounded of biography, autobiography, art criticism and racial pleading, often rises to poetry somewhat in the manner of James Weldon Johnson. But it is characteristic of the new time rather than the old that the Scripture which Washington quotes is not that of Christianity but of Baha'i."
--Alfred Frankenstein, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA.
"Lovingly written, long overdue anthology of work by a major contemporary painter." Bearden works are "among the richest achievements of American art in the last decade."
--Benjamin Forgey, Washington Star News, Washington, D.C.
"One of the early paintings (Untitled, 1961, plate 5 in the book) an abstraction in the general manner of the New York School, is so beautiful that, if he had not something else to say, something special . . . Mr. Bearden could have kept on in this vein to develop into a leading member of the Roth-Motherwell clan."
--John Canaday, Contact Magazine, N.Y.C
"No other painter has ever described the Black experience more poignantly, more compassionately and more picturesquely than
Romare Bearden."
--The Art Gallery Magazine, N.Y.C.
"An excellent collection of prints of the work of one of American's greatest masters of visual art."
--Oakley N. Holmes, Jr., Freedomways, N.Y.C
"Extraordinary depth is given to this stunning, moving study . . . in a stylish introduction by his personal friend, John A. Williams."
--Booklist Magazine, N.Y.C
African American artist."
--Dr. Margaret T. Burroughs, Director, the DuSable Museum, Chicago, Ill.
"The Art of Romare Bearden is the first major book ever written about a Black American artist . . . It is only fair to note that even without the beautiful illustrations of Bearden's work of the past 30 years, this book could be considered a work of art, for the text is eloquent, poetic, deeply moving..."
--Ruth Latter, The Daily Progress, Charlottesville, Va.
"Washington's text for Bearden is marvelously eloquent. This man Washington is a major master of English prose, and his text, richly compounded of biography, autobiography, art criticism and racial pleading, often rises to poetry somewhat in the manner of James Weldon Johnson. But it is characteristic of the new time rather than the old that the Scripture which Washington quotes is not that of Christianity but of Baha'i."
--Alfred Frankenstein, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA.
"Lovingly written, long overdue anthology of work by a major contemporary painter." Bearden works are "among the richest achievements of American art in the last decade."
--Benjamin Forgey, Washington Star News, Washington, D.C.
"One of the early paintings (Untitled, 1961, plate 5 in the book) an abstraction in the general manner of the New York School, is so beautiful that, if he had not something else to say, something special . . . Mr. Bearden could have kept on in this vein to develop into a leading member of the Roth-Motherwell clan."
--John Canaday, Contact Magazine, N.Y.C
"No other painter has ever described the Black experience more poignantly, more compassionately and more picturesquely than
Romare Bearden."
--The Art Gallery Magazine, N.Y.C.
"An excellent collection of prints of the work of one of American's greatest masters of visual art."
--Oakley N. Holmes, Jr., Freedomways, N.Y.C
"Extraordinary depth is given to this stunning, moving study . . . in a stylish introduction by his personal friend, John A. Williams."
--Booklist Magazine, N.Y.C