The Romare Bearden Digital Catalogue Raisonné will be a comprehensive research tool providing access to critical archives and materials documented by the Romare Bearden Foundation to preserve the artist’s legacy.
The WPI is pleased to announce a new project in collaboration with the Romare Bearden Foundation. The Romare Bearden Digital Catalogue Raisonne project (RBDCR) will be among the first major digital catalogue raisonnés for an African American artist, and is integral to the WPI’s development. This digital publication will provide scholars, provenance researchers, and the general public with a reliable and comprehensive research tool that will advance the study of the artist’s oeuvre.
The WPI is honored to partner with the Romare Bearden Foundation and play a role in shaping tomorrow’s art historical discourse. This new digital catalogue raisonné project advances the Institute’s mission to support art historical research and provide access to resources that have historically been inaccessible to the wider public. Our goal is for this project to pave the way for new scholarship and to offer a richer understanding of how this important American artist and activist has impacted and continued to shape the cultural landscape.
The WPI is uniquely positioned to leverage technical innovations from some of the most influential leaders in information technology and to offer the best resources and guidance to successfully helm this landmark project. Over the following year, the WPI’s team of archivists and tech specialists will be assessing the Foundation’s archives to map out the scope and execution of the project. More information regarding the progress of this initiative coming soon.
In October 2022, the WPI announced the inaugural release of materials in THE ROMARE BEARDEN PAPERS (1900–2008, bulk 1940–1988). The archives consist of documents and materials collected and maintained by the artist.
Read the full press release here.