“Piano Lesson” is Romare Bearden's tribute to jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams. The Matisse-inspired work uses 18 colors, lace embroidery, fabric and a miniaturized music score. An African-American collage artist who lived in Pittsburgh and New York, Bearden (1911 – 1988) was highly influenced by Harlem’s jazz revolution. He was adept at portraying scenes of everyday life by uniting simple, poetic themes with highly stylized images. Bearden is considered to be one of the most acclaimed artists of the 20th century.