The Wildenstein Plattner Institute (WPI) and the Romare Bearden Foundation have launched the first installment of a digital catalogue raisonné for the artist Romare Bearden, covering his work from 1964 to 1969. The project, which began in earnest in 2017, has so far documented 3,000 artworks, including 210 in this initial chapter, and has uncovered previously unknown works such as a portrait of artist Edmonia Lewis. The research builds on three decades of archival work by the foundation, which digitized Bearden's ephemera to aid in tracking down works he often gave away informally.
This project is significant because it is only the second catalogue raisonné ever compiled for an African American artist, addressing a longstanding gap in art historical scholarship. By prioritizing a digital format, WPI is embracing a growing trend that makes such resources more accessible and updatable. The effort also highlights the challenges of documenting artists who, like Bearden, were generous outside the commercial art system, and underscores the importance of preserving legacies for artists of color who have historically been underrepresented in such comprehensive records.