Odysseus
Romare Bearden's *Odysseus* is a dynamic screenprint that reflects the artist's masterful use of fragmented imagery and bold, rhythmic color to reimagine the epic journey of the legendary Greek hero. Drawing on Bearden's signature collage-inspired aesthetic, the work weaves together abstracted figures and vivid geometric forms to evoke themes of adventure, identity, and transformation. This limited edition print, numbered 65/125 and published by HMK Fine Arts, New York, stands as a compelling example of Bearden's ability to bridge African American cultural experience with the timeless narratives of classical mythology.
- Medium
- all signed and numbered 65/125 on the front and titled on the reverse in pencil (there was also an edition of 75 in Roman numerals), published by HMK Fine Arts, New York, (with their blindstamp), in very good condition, unframed.
- Location
- Phillips, Salt Lake City, UT
- Spotted At
- Auction House · PhillipsView on map
🔨 Auction Lot
Evening & Day Editions
October 28, 2013
Artists in conversation
Jacob Lawrence
American · b. 1917
Lawrence similarly employed bold geometric forms and flattened figurative imagery to tell epic narratives rooted in African American experience and broader human themes, creating dynamic compositions with vibrant rhythmic color that closely mirror Bearden's approach in this mythological screenprint.
Henri Matisse
French · b. 1869
Matisse's late collage and cut paper works share the same fragmented yet unified visual language seen in this Odysseus print, combining bold color fields with abstracted figurative forms to create compositions that feel simultaneously modern and mythically resonant.
Faith Ringgold
American · b. 1930
Ringgold's mixed media narrative works blend African American artistic traditions with bold figurative imagery and collage inspired aesthetics to retell transformative stories of identity and journey, reflecting the same thematic and stylistic sensibilities present in Bearden's Odysseus.
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