Iliad c. 1970

This print, Iliad, by Romare Bearden, is a real mood. It's got this kind of layered, blocky feel, with soft reds, greens, and oranges bleeding into each other. I can imagine Bearden working on this, maybe late at night, carving into the block, figuring out how to get those figures just right. What's the story here? There is a tension that simmers between the two figures. They are so close to each other but seem miles apart. It feels biblical and ancient. Bearden really knew how to get the most out of color and texture. The flat planes are reminiscent of the Cubists, like Picasso and Braque, but with a storytelling element all of his own. You can sense the weight of the figures and the scene through these color blocks. It is this great conversation across time that is so amazing about art.