Georgia O'Keeffe
1933
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image/paper/first mount: 9.2 × 11.6 cm (3 5/8 × 4 5/8 in.); Second mount: 33 × 27.5 cm (13 × 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
gelatin silver (developing-out-paper) pr
Department
Photography and Media
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
66429
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
For more on the Alfred Stieglitz collection at the Art Institute, along with in-depth object information, please visit the website: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection.
Art Historical Context
In 1933, pioneering photographer Alfred Stiegl captured this intimate portrait of his wife, the renowned modernist painter Georgia OKeeffe. Titled simply *Georgia O'Kee*, the gelatin silver print showcases Stieglitz's ability to blend personal affection with artistic precision. At just 9.2 × 11.6 cm, the image is modest in scale, yet its larger mounts emphasize its status as a cherished fine art object, housed today in the Art Institute of Chicago's Photography and Media departmentStieglitz, a key figure in establishing photography as a legitimate art form in the early 20th century, took hundreds of portraits of O'Keeffe over nearly two decades, beginning in 1917. This 1933 image, made late in their marriage, reflects their deep creative partnership—O'Keeffe's bold features and contemplative gaze echoing her own powerful abstractions of nature. As founder of Gallery 291, Stieglitz championed modernism, introducing European avant-garde works to America and elevating photography through straight, unmanipulated techniques. The gelatin silver print, a developing-out-paper process popular in the interwar era, yields deep blacks, crisp details, and subtle tonal gradations ideal for portraiture. This work not only immortalizes O'Keeffe's iconic presence but also underscores photography's role in documenting personal and cultural histories during a transformative time in American art.
About the Artist
Alfred Stieglitz · 1864–1946
Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) was a pioneering American photographer, art dealer, publisher, and advocate for the Modernist movement who was instrumental over his 50-year career in making photography an accepted art form. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to German Jewish immigrant parents, Stieglitz spent his formative years studying mechanical engineering in Berlin, where he discovered photography in ...