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Romare Bearden, Piano Lesson, 1983
collage of various papers with paint, ink, and graphite on paper
The Walter O. Evans Foundation for Art and Literature
© Romare Bearden Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, N.Y.

The central subject of this composition is thought to be jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams, who spent her childhood years in Pittsburgh. Just as Bearden's work was inspired by that of others in a variety of artistic fields, Piano Lesson inspired the play of the same title by playwright August Wilson, himself a Pittsburgh native.

Copyright © National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.