---
title: "Romare Bearden: results at LLB Auction"
source: LLB Auction
canonical: https://www.llb-auction.com/artists/romare-bearden
currency: EUR
price_basis: hammer, excluding buyer's premium and VAT
scope: results at this auction house only
---

# Romare Bearden

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Born | 1911 |
| Died | 1988 |
| Nationality | American |
| Movements | Spiral |
| Lots offered at LLB Auction | 1 |
| Lots sold | 0 |
| Range of prices realised | — |
| Median price realised | — |

## Lots

| Work | Medium | Sale | Date | Estimate | Hammer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78. Mecklenburg Autumn | Print | Contemporary Art June 2025 | 29 June 2025 | €3,000 to €6,000 | Not sold |

## About Romare Bearden

### Life and work

Romare Bearden was an American painter, collagist and printmaker, born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1911 and raised largely in Harlem and Pittsburgh. He trained as a painter in the social realist idiom of the 1930s and 1940s before turning, from the 1960s onward, to the cut paper collage that defines his reputation today. In 1963 he was a founding member of Spiral, a group of Black artists in New York who met to discuss how art could respond to the civil rights movement. His mature collages layer photographs, magazine clippings, painted paper and fabric into scenes of the rural South, Harlem street life, blues and jazz clubs, and the landscape of Martinique and other Caribbean islands he visited later in life. He died in 1988. The Museum of Modern Art gave him a retrospective in 1971, and the National Gallery of Art mounted the most comprehensive survey of his career in 2003, a show that later traveled to the Whitney Museum of American Art and to museums in San Francisco, Dallas and Atlanta.

### Disciplines and the market

Bearden worked across painting, collage, watercolor, oil monotype and a large body of screenprints and lithographs made in editions. The saleroom treats these differently. Unique collages on board or paper, built up from cut and pasted papers, are his scarcest works and draw the strongest prices. Watercolors and oil monotypes, often studies of Caribbean landscape or figures, sell in a middle range. Signed editions, prints made in runs of several dozen or more, are the most liquid and least expensive way to own his work, and unsigned or artist's proof impressions trade lower still. LLB Auction has offered one work by Bearden to date, which did not sell, a reminder that even an artist with a long auction history elsewhere can see individual lots trade thinly.

### What a specialist examines

A specialist examining a Bearden work first checks the signature, usually placed by hand in a lower corner of a collage or watercolor, against known examples, since Bearden sometimes signed pieces well after they were made or gave work away unsigned. Dating relies on the materials used, such as photostat, particular papers, or Masonite panel, and on comparison with documented series such as the Projections works of the 1960s or the Profile and Caribbean groups of later decades. Provenance matters especially for Bearden, who often sold or gave work directly from his studio without paperwork, so a chain of ownership back to the artist, to an early dealer, or to a documented exhibition strengthens a work considerably. Exhibition history is checked against museum and gallery records. For prints, the edition size, the numbering, and whether a sheet is signed or a proof all affect value. The body that reviews documentation for Bearden's work is listed under Career.

### Market position

At auction, Bearden's unique collages have brought the strongest results. The Lantern, a 1980 collage on board, sold at Phillips in 2024 for $27,940, and Green, a 1971 collage on board, sold at Phillips in 2023 for $50,800. Works on paper trade lower: Storyville, an oil monotype, sold at Phillips in 2025 for $12,700, and Rain Forest Martinique, a 1976 watercolor, sold at Phillips the same year for $8,255. Man Seated with Rooster, a 1970 watercolor, sold at Swann Galleries in 2025 for $20,000 with fees included, and Martinique Rainforest II, another 1976 watercolor, sold at Bonhams in 2018 for $10,000. Together these results show a market that rewards unique collages well beyond works on paper and editions, with active bidding spread across several international houses.

### Preparing a valuation request

A seller preparing to consign a work by Bearden should gather any invoice, gift letter or correspondence documenting how the piece was acquired, together with clear photographs of the front and the back, including the signature and any inscriptions, framer's labels or gallery stamps on the verso. Exact medium, support and dimensions should be recorded, along with the approximate date of execution if known. A condition report noting any tears, losses, foxing, fading or old repairs matters given the fragility of paper and collage elements. If the work has appeared in a museum or gallery exhibition, catalogue or publication, that history should be gathered, since it can be checked against the sources listed under Career. Any archive or reference number already associated with the piece should be kept with the file as well.

## Market at LLB Auction

| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Sell-through | 0% |
| Lots above high estimate | 0 |

### Prices by medium

| Medium | Offered | Sold | Lowest hammer | Median hammer | Highest hammer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Print | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |

### Year by year

| Year | Offered | Sold | Total hammer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | €0 |

## Public auction records

Results published by other auction houses, cited from the linked sources. Not results of LLB Auction.

| House | Date | Work | Price (basis) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips | 12 March 2024 | The Lantern (1980) | US$27,940 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/NY010124/160 |
| Phillips | 27 September 2023 | Green (1971) | US$50,800 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/NY010623/49 |
| Sotheby's | 18 November 2021 | The Street (1975) | US$1,109,000 (premium) | https://www.culturetype.com/2022/02/24/major-paintings-by-romare-bearden-amy-sherald-stanley-whitney-rashid-johnson-norman-lewis-jacob-lawrence-more-highlighted-at-evening-auctions-in-new-york/ |
| Bonhams | 23 May 2018 | Martinique Rainforest II (1976) | US$10,000 (premium) | https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24545/lot/52/ |
| Swann Galleries | 14 November 2013 | Village of Yo (1977) | US$100,000 (premium) | https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/romare-bearden-collage-brings-100000-swann-galleries-contemporary-art-auction |
| Phillips | 16 July 2025 | Storyville (circa 1975) | US$12,700 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/202495 |
| Phillips | 2 July 2025 | Rain Forest Martinique (1976) | US$8,255 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/218026 |
| Swann Galleries | 6 February 2025 | Man Seated with Rooster (1970) | US$20,000 (premium) | https://www.culturetype.com/2025/02/04/swann-single-owner-african-american-art-auction-features-collection-of-new-york-lawyer-works-acquired-directly-from-artists-and-black-owned-galleries/ |
| Phillips | 12 March 2024 | The Lantern (1980) | US$27,940 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/198424 |
| Phillips | 27 September 2023 | Green (1971) | US$50,800 (premium) | https://www.phillips.com/detail/romare-bearden/190642 |

## Career

### Cautions

- The Romare Bearden Foundation's digital catalogue raisonne so far documents only the 1964 to 1969 collage period, so later work has not yet been reviewed for that record. (https://beardenfoundation.org/catalogue_raisonne/)
- Signed limited edition prints have sold at Phillips for a few thousand dollars each, far below the prices unique collages on board have reached at auction. (https://www.phillips.com/artist/7519/romare-bearden)
- Bearden's editions and prints, several signed in small runs, consistently sell for a fraction of his unique collages, watercolors and paintings at auction. (https://www.phillips.com/artist/7519/romare-bearden)
- The Bearden catalogue raisonne so far covers only unique works from 1964 to 1969, so most editions and works from other decades are not yet documented in it. (https://wpi.art/2025/06/23/the-wildenstein-plattner-institute-announces-inaugural-digital-release-of-the-romare-bearden-catalogue-raisonne-project/)

### Exhibitions

| Exhibition | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual | Museum of Modern Art, New York | 1971 |
| The Art of Romare Bearden | National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. | 2003 |
| The Art of Romare Bearden | Whitney Museum of American Art, New York | 2004 |
| Romare Bearden's The Block | Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York | 2010 |
| Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey | Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York | 2014 |
| The Art of Romare Bearden | National Gallery of Art | 2003 |
| Romare Bearden: The Prevalence of Ritual | Museum of Modern Art | 1971 |
| Memory and Metaphor: The Art of Romare Bearden, 1940 to 1987 | Studio Museum in Harlem | 1991 |
| Romare Bearden: Resonances | Saint Louis Art Museum | 2024 |
| Paris Noir: Artistic Circulations and Anti-colonial Resistance, 1950 to 2000 | Centre Pompidou | 2025 |
| The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism | Metropolitan Museum of Art | 2024 |
| Romare Bearden: Paris Blues/Jazz and Other Works | DC Moore Gallery | 2024 |

### Authentication bodies

- Romare Bearden Foundation (https://beardenfoundation.org/): Co-runs the Romare Bearden Catalogue Raisonne Project with the Wildenstein Plattner Institute and states that a comprehensive listing depends on the cooperation of owners, collectors, dealers, curators and scholars.
- Wildenstein Plattner Institute (https://wpi.art/romare-bearden/): Released the first installment of the Bearden catalogue raisonne online in 2025, covering unique works from 1964 to 1969 only; other periods and most editions are not yet included.

### Catalogue raisonné

- Romare Bearden Digital Catalogue Raisonne, Romare Bearden Foundation and Wildenstein Plattner Institute (2020): https://beardenfoundation.org/catalogue_raisonne/
- The Romare Bearden Catalogue Raisonne Project, Wildenstein Plattner Institute and the Romare Bearden Foundation (2025): https://wpi.art/romare-bearden/

## Comparables

Related artists: Neshat Shirin, Jean-Michel Basquiat

## In museum collections

| Work | Year | Museum |
|---|---|---|
| Patchwork Quilt | — | Museum of Modern Art |
| Eastern Barn | — | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| Untitled (Four Standing Figures) | — | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| The Block | — | Metropolitan Museum of Art |

## Sources

- LLB Auction catalogue (Proprietary)
- Wikidata contributors (CC0): https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1291679
- Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romare_Bearden
- Carl Van Vechten, Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_Romare_Bearden_LCCN2004662578.jpg
- Phillips (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.phillips.com/artist/7519/romare-bearden
- Sotheby's (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.sothebys.com/en/artists/romare-bearden
- Bonhams (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24545/lot/52/
- Culture Type (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.culturetype.com/2022/02/24/major-paintings-by-romare-bearden-amy-sherald-stanley-whitney-rashid-johnson-norman-lewis-jacob-lawrence-more-highlighted-at-evening-auctions-in-new-york/
- Fine Books & Collections (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine-books-news/romare-bearden-collage-brings-100000-swann-galleries-contemporary-art-auction
- Museum of Modern Art (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79986
- Whitney Museum of American Art (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://whitney.org/collection/works/1440
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/481891
- National Gallery of Art (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/art-romare-bearden
- Columbia University (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Romare-Bearden.html
- Romare Bearden Foundation (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://beardenfoundation.org/catalogue_raisonne/
- Phillips (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.phillips.com
- Bonhams (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.bonhams.com
- Culture Type (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.culturetype.com
- Wildenstein Plattner Institute (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://wpi.art
- Romare Bearden Foundation (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://beardenfoundation.org
- Studio Museum in Harlem (all rights reserved, cited under quotation): https://www.studiomuseum.org

## Valuations
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