ChasseresseRomaine Brooks · 1920

Identification of Chasseresse by Romaine Brooks

The year is 1920, and Romaine Brooks presents us with Chasseresse, a Symbolist oil on canvas painting that pulls the viewer into a realm of myth and shadow. The figure of a huntress dominates the scene, her presence heavy with the weight of ancient legends. She moves through a rugged mountain landscape, a world where the boundaries between the human and the divine seem to blur. There is a sense that we are witnessing a moment frozen from the stories of Artemis, the goddess of the wild, as she navigates the crags and cliffs of a silent, stony world.

In this composition, the huntress is not alone. A goat rests within the frame, its presence adding a layer of animal life to the stark, mountainous backdrop. The interaction between the woman and the creature suggests a deep, perhaps even primal, connection to the natural world. This is a landscape of stone and spirit, where the animals and the mountains are not merely scenery but essential participants in a mythological drama. The work captures a specific tension between the strength of the huntress and the quiet stillness of the wilderness she inhabits.

Composition and Visual Elements

The figure commands the space with a strong profile and a resolute stance, cutting a sharp silhouette against a rugged landscape. Crisp lines define the contours of her form, lending an immediate sense of power and authority to her presence. A heavy fur cloak slips from her shoulder, revealing a partially nude form that balances the mythological weight of the scene with a subtle, sensual energy. This interplay of textures and skin creates a tension between the wildness of the setting and the vulnerability of the body.

The placement of the goat introduces a sense of suggestive playfulness into the composition, disrupting the gravity of the huntress's pose. This animal presence, combined with the broad planes of the figure, anchors the subject within a landscape of simplified, powerful shapes. The interaction between the woman, the animal, and the mountain backdrop creates a scene where the mythological and the physical meet in a single, frozen moment of tension.

Physical Details and Medium

The artist works with oil on canvas to build this scene, layering colors to define the sharp profiles and the ruggedness of the landscape. The medium allows for the creation of broad, flat planes of color that define the figure and the mountain backdrop. A heavy fur cloak slips from a shoulder, its texture suggested through the application of paint, while the skin tones of the central figure contrast against the darker, muted tones of the surrounding environment.

This work occupies a significant space, measuring 130.5 x 97.5 cm, or 51 3/8 x 38 3/8 in. The scale of the canvas lends a sense of presence to the huntress and her companion. Every line remains crisp, contributing to a stylized aesthetic that favors geometric shapes over soft, blended edges. The surface carries the weight of the oil paint in a way that emphasizes the strength of the subject's stance against the backdrop of the cliffs.

Current Location and Collection History

The huntress resides within the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She remains a significant part of this institution's holdings, held under the object number 1968.18.1. This placement ensures her presence is preserved for those who seek to encounter her silent, mythological strength.

Her journey to this collection began through a direct connection to the creator. The painting arrived at the museum as a gift from the artist herself. This generous act of giving occurred in 1968, securing her place within the museum's archives and ensuring her gaze continues to meet the eyes of those who visit the gallery.