Romare Bearden’s Patchwork Quilt (1970) is dominated by its monumental figure, a woman reclining on a couch. But the quilt on which she lies, made of patterned fabrics assembled in a complex abstract composition, is as much of a presence as she is. With disparate tones and shapes combined in a striking, elegant collage, Patchwork Quilt demonstrates Bearden’s virtuosity in the medium. As a young artist Bearden had bristled at the expectation that his work reflect his race and identity, but he came to embrace the subject of Black American life on his own terms, drawing on his strong family ties and formative experiences in the American South and in the vibrant Black community of Harlem, in New York City. An essay by curator Esther Adler traces Bearden’s restless creativity, from early figurative works to abstract experiments and finally to works in his signature medium. 48 pp.; 35 illus.

 

Each volume in the One on One series is a sustained meditation of a single work from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art. A richly illustrated and lively essay illuminates the subject in detail and situates that work within the artist’s life and career as well as within broader historical contexts. This series is an invaluable guide for exploring and interpreting some of the most beloved artworks in the Museum’s collection. View the entire series here.