Romaine Brooks, Self-Portrait, 1923, oil on canvas, 46 1⁄4 x 26 7⁄8 in. (117.5 x 68.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1966.49.1
Copied
Artwork Details
- Title
- Self-Portrait
- Artist
- Date
- 1923
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 46 1⁄4 x 26 7⁄8 in. (117.5 x 68.3 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of the artist
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on canvas
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Occupation — art — printmaker
- Portrait female — Brooks, Romaine — waist length
- Portrait female — Brooks, Romaine — self-portrait
- Dress — accessory — hat
- Occupation — art — designer
- Cityscape
- Occupation — art — painter
- Object Number
- 1966.49.1
Artwork Description
With this self-portrait, Brooks envisioned her modernity as an artist and a person. The modulated shades of gray, stylized forms, and psychological gravity exemplify her deep commitment to aesthetic principles. The shaded, direct gaze conveys a commanding and confident presence, an attitude more typically associated with her male counterparts. The riding hat and coat and masculine tailoring recall conventions of aristocratic portraiture while also evoking a chic androgyny associated with the post--World War I "new woman." Brooks's fashion choices also enabled upper-class lesbians to identify and acknowledge one another.
The Art of Romaine Brooks, 2016
Related Posts
Celebrating the renowned artist with a comic about her life and work
Howard Kaplan
Writer