who began his career as an artist for the press during the civil war
Romare Bearden
During his success in the gallery , however , he produced Golgotha , a painting from his series of the Passion of the Christ ( see Figure 1 ) . Golgotha is an abstract representation of the Crucifixion . The eye of the viewer is drawn to the middle of the image first , where Bearden has rendered Christ 's body . The body parts are stylized into abstract geometric shapes , yet still too realistic to be concretely abstract ; this work has a feel of early Cubism . The body is in a central position and yet darkly contrasting with the highlighted crowds . The crowds of people are on the left and right , and are encapsulated within large spheres of bright colors of purple and indigo . The background of the painting is depicted in lighter jewel tones dissected with linear black ink . Bearden used these colors and contrasts because of the abstract influence of the time , but also for their meanings . Bearden
During his success in the gallery , however , he produced Golgotha , a painting from his series of the Passion of the Christ ( see Figure 1 ) . Golgotha is an abstract representation of the Crucifixion . The eye of the viewer is drawn to the middle of the image first , where Bearden has rendered Christ 's body . The body parts are stylized into abstract geometric shapes , yet still too realistic to be concretely abstract ; this work has a feel of early Cubism . The body is in a central position and yet darkly contrasting with the highlighted crowds . The crowds of people are on the left and right , and are encapsulated within large spheres of bright colors of purple and indigo . The background of the painting is depicted in lighter jewel tones dissected with linear black ink . Bearden used these colors and contrasts because of the abstract influence of the time , but also for their meanings . Bearden