Lot 142: ROMAINE BROOKS (American, 1874-1970) PORTFOLIO OF

ROMAINE BROOKS (American, 1874-1970) PORTFOLIO OF THIRTY SIX DRAWINGS one of a limited edition of portfolios created by Brooks using a photomechanical process after her original drawings; artist inscribed "Dedicated to Somerset Maugham"; all titled and signed on verso with her symbol on front; 12 3/4 x 9 3/ 4 inches

These are photo mechanically done; limited edition; good condition; each loose in sleeved and bound book.

Note: Romaine Brooks, best known for her androgynous female portraits, is said to have invented "lesbian chic". Brooks, born into a wealthy Pennsylvania mining family, detailed her unhappy childhood with an abusive mother and deranged brother in her unpublished memoris "No Pleasant Memories". She inherited a large fortune in 1902 with both her mother and brother died, allowing her much personal freedom. Spending most of her time in Europe, her artistic attention focused on external appearances and the role they play in sexual identity. In 1910 Galeries Durand-Ruel held a solo exhibition of her work, where reviews dubbed it "boldly erotic". After many years of successful exhibitons and traveling in prominent social circles in both Europe and New York, Brooks became reclusive and retreated to her home in Southern France. During this time, she devoted herself to writing her memoirs and drawing. In 2000, the National Museum of Women in the Arts held a major retrospective of her work.