Romaine Brooks: The Other Amazon

Kerrin Meis, Art Historian

Romaine Brooks is best known for her relationship with the American expatriate writer Natalie Barney, and her paintings have often been dismissed as retardataire because she embraced the figurative in a period of artistic upheaval. But Robert de Montesquiou dubbed her the Thief of Souls, recognizing her uncanny ability to capture the essence of her subjects. Meis will briefly review Brooks’ life, beginning with her bizarre childhood, her flings and affairs, her life with Natalie, and will then turn to her portraits. Who are these people? Why this gray palette? How does she shape a new concept of femininity?

MLF: Humanities/The Arts/LGBT
Location:  SF Club Office
Time: 5:30 p.m. networking reception, 6 p.m. program
Cost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students (with valid ID)
Program Organizer: George Hammond
Also know: In association with Humanities West