Romaine Brooks

Romaine Brooks was a master of brooding, androgynous portraiture, a style that's often called "tonalism meets modernism."

Key Characteristics:

• Limited Palette: Predominantly shades of grey, white, and black creating a stark, melancholic atmosphere.
• Androgynous Subjects: Often portraits of women, including herself, with a strong, almost masculine presence, challenging traditional femininity.
• Social Isolation: Figures are often depicted alone, conveying a sense of detachment and introspection.
• Aristocratic Decadence: A sense of faded grandeur and world-weariness permeates her work, reflecting the lives of her wealthy, expatriate subjects.

Themes:

• Female Identity & Empowerment: Exploring the complexities of female identity outside societal norms.
• Lesbian Identity & Desire: Subtly portraying same-sex desire and relationships within the confines of the era.
• Psychological Depth: Capturing the inner lives and emotional states of her subjects.

Tie-in: Think of Brooks as a conduit for brooding looks, capturing the inner world through a lens of muted colors and androgynous strength.