Romare Bearden: Odysseus

$3.50

Romare Bearden’s stamp pays homage to the classic Greek epic poem The Odyssey by Homer. The stamp features Poseidon, the sea god and enemy of Odysseus, as imagined by Bearden. The artwork was originally created in 1969 and was used in the 1971 Random House publication of The Odyssey.

The stamp is an example of Bearden’s collage style, which he developed over the course of his career. He used scraps of fabric, magazine clippings, and other materials to create his works. By combining these disparate elements, Bearden was able to create a vivid and vibrant image that conveys the sense of power and mystery of Poseidon.

The stamp itself is part of the USPS’s Literary Arts series, which commemorates classic works of literature and their authors. Bearden is the first African-American artist to be featured in the series. The stamp is part of the larger effort to recognize and celebrate the achievements of African-American writers and artists.

Description

Romare Bearden (1911-1988) was an African-American artist, writer, and musician. He is widely known for his collage art, which integrated aspects of African-American culture, such as jazz and blues music, into his works. He also worked in other mediums such as oil, ink, and pastel.

Bearden was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and grew up in Harlem. After graduating from high school, he attended the Arts Students League in New York and the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1940, he moved to Detroit, where he worked as a social worker and later as a journalist. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Bearden’s art began to receive critical acclaim. He was one of the leading figures of the Harlem Renaissance and his works often depicted African-American life and culture. His collages often incorporated photographs, fabric, and other found objects. He also worked in other mediums such as oil, ink, and pastel.

Bearden was a powerful advocate for African-American art and culture. He founded the Cinque Gallery in Harlem and was a founding member of the Harlem Cultural Council. He also served as a mentor to many young African-American artists.

Bearden’s work has been exhibited in many museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. He is widely considered one of the most important African-American artists of the 20th century.

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