Romare Bearden (1911)

Regarded as one of the most important African-American artists of the 20th century, Bearden first achieved recognition for his complex, semiabstract collages of photographs and painted paper on canvas while in Europe after serving in the military during WWII. An extremely prolific artist, Bearden created some 2,000 works during his career, often focusing on aspects of African-American culture, including music and family. A subway mural by Bearden in what city was once valued at $15 million? More...