Romare Bearden The Block Notecards

Art notecards inspired by The Met collection.

Romare Bearden's (American, 1911–1988) exuberant tribute to Harlem is a celebration of the lively New York City neighborhood that nurtured his life and work. Though he was born in North Carolina, Bearden spent formative time in Harlem as a child, and in 1940, he established a studio in the same West 125th Street building as the artist Jacob Lawrence. The six panels that make up The Block (1971) each represent an aspect of local life, from the barbershop to the corner store. Our notecards feature select details from this vivid work in the Museum's modern and contemporary art collection.

We present this item in celebration of The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism, a groundbreaking exhibition exploring the comprehensive and far-reaching ways in which Black artists have portrayed everyday modern life. In the first half of the 20th century, millions of African Americans moved away from the segregated rural South in what became known as the Great Migration, and brought about the so-called Harlem Renaissance by revitalizing New York City’s Harlem neighborhood with exceptional art, music, dance, theater, and more. Visit the exhibition at The Met Fifth Avenue from February 25 through July 28, 2024.

Art © Romare Bearden Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY