La Baronne Emile D’Erlanger

Romaine Brooks, La Baronne Emile D'Erlanger, ca. 1924, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1968.18.5
Copied Romaine Brooks, La Baronne Emile D'Erlanger, ca. 1924, oil on canvas, 41 7834 18 in. (106.486.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1968.18.5

Artwork Details

Title
La Baronne Emile D’Erlanger
Date
ca. 1924
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
41 7834 18 in. (106.486.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the artist
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — wildcat
  • Occupation — art — collector
  • Occupation — art — painter
  • Portrait female — D’Erlanger, Marie Rose Antoinette Catherine — knee length
  • Occupation — art — patron
  • Occupation — other — aristocrat
Object Number
1968.18.5

Artwork Description

Brooks probably met Marie Rose Antoinette Catherine Robert d'Aqueria de Rochegude in exclusive social circles in Paris and London, where the wealthy sitter was an arts patron who organized Brooks's 1924 exhibition at London's Alpine Club Gallery. Brooks pairs the baroness with an uncaged ocelot, whose spotted coat and direct gaze echo the sitter's own. The animal lends an air of exoticism, sensuality, and humor to this forthright portrait.

The Art of Romaine Brooks, 2016