Madame Errázuriz

Romaine Brooks, Madame Errázuriz, 1908 and 1910, oil on canvas, 94 ¹⁄₈ x 58 ¹⁄₄ in. (239.2 x 147.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1968.18.2

Artwork Details

Title: Madame Errázuriz
Artist: Romaine Brooks
Date: 1908 and 1910
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 94 ¹⁄₈ x 58 ¹⁄₄ in. (239.2 x 147.8 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of the artist
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Portrait female — Errazuris, Madame
Occupation — other — aristocrat
Object Number: 1968.18.2
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1968.18.2

Artwork Description

Madame Errázuriz is an early example of what would become Brooks's main artistic focus -- portraits of specific individuals. Eugenia Huici Arguedas de Errázuriz was an influential interior designer known for her reductivist aesthetic. Many of the hallmarks of Brooks's later portraiture are evident in the combination of respect and humor tinged with satire. Madame Errázuriz appears nearly overwhelmed by her ostentatious outfit as she gazes confidently (and slightly arrogantly) at the viewer.

The Art of Romaine Brooks, 2016