Georgia O'Keeffe

Art Historical Context

In 1924, pioneering photographer Alfred Stieglitz captured an intimate portrait of his wife, the renowned modernist painter Georgia O'Keeffe, in this gelatin silver print. Titled simply *Georgia O'Kee*, the small-scale image (trimmed to 11.2 x 8.1 cm) exemplifies Stieglitz's mastery of photography as fine art. As founder of Gallery 291 in New York, Stieglitz championed modernism and was instrumental in introducing European avant-garde ideas to America, while fiercely promoting O'Keeffe's abstracted floral paintings that redefined American art. This photograph is part of Stieglitz's extensive series of over 300 portraits of O'Keeffe, made between 1918 and 1934, which evolved from formal studies to deeply personal expressions of their passionate relationship. The gelatin silver process, a hallmark of early 20th-century photography, allowed for sharp detail and rich tonal range on paper, elevating the medium beyond mere documentation. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Alfred Stieglitz Collection, it reflects the intersection of personal love and artistic innovation during the interwar period. Visitors will appreciate how this quiet, close-up view humanizes O'Keeffe, bridging her public persona as a bold modernist with private vulnerability, underscoring photography's power to reveal the soul.

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 ...