Romare Bearden is known for which artistic technique?

• A. Fresco
• B. Photomontages/Collages
• C. Etching
• D. Lithography

Answer: (B)

Bearden’s strongest and most recognizable approach is collaging with layered pieces to create complex, narrative scenes. He would cut and paste images from magazines, fabrics, and other materials, then assemble them into vibrant compositions that weave together figures, architecture, and everyday life. This technique lets him fuse fragments of culture and memory into one cohesive image, giving a sense of movement, texture, and social context that reflects African American urban life and communities.

Fresco is wall painting on wet plaster, which isn’t how Bearden built his images. Etching and lithography are printmaking methods that produce images through careful incisions or ink on plates, processes that aren’t what Bearden is best known for, even though he did some print work.