Painter. She was born Romaine Mary Goddard on May 1, 1874, in Rome, Italy. In 1905, after leaving her husband with a generous annuity, Brooks cut her hair, donned men’s clothes and returned to Paris, where she began painting the portraits for which she became renowned.  In 1915 Brooks met and fell in love with the writer and salon patroness Natalie Barney, and they began a relationship that would last for fifty years. Together they collaborated on a novel, The One Who Is Legion, or A.D.’s After-Life, which was privately printed in London in 1930 with illustrations by Brooks. In 1920, Brooks was awarded the medal of the Legion of Honor from the French government. Among her works “Azalées Blanches,” “Caught,” “Chasseresse,” “Dame en Deuil,” “La Mort et la Paysanne,” “Ida Rubinstein” and “La Debutante.” (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)  Family links:  Spouses:  Natalie Clifford Barney (1876 – 1972)  John Ellingham Brooks (____ – 1929)* *Calculated relationship