Georgia O'Keeffe—Hands
1918
Medium
palladium print
Dimensions
image: 22.7 x 18.4 cm (8 15/16 x 7 1/4 in.) sheet: 25.1 x 20.1 cm (9 7/8 x 7 15/16 in.) mat: 56.6 x 46.3 cm (22 5/16 x 18 1/4 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Alfred Stieglitz Collection
Accession Number
1980.70.117
Art Historical Context
In 1918, pioneering photographer Alfred Stiegl captured the elegant hands of his muse and future wife, Georgia O'Keeffe in this intimate palladium print titled *Georgia O'KeeffeHands*. Measuring about 9 x 7 inches, the image exemplifies Stieglitz's toward "straight photography," emphasizing sharp detail and emotional truth over pictorial softness. Palladium prints, like this one, were prized for their rich, warm tones and archival permanence, allowing subtle textures—like the delicate folds of skin and poised fingers—to emerge with luminous clarity. This photograph is part of Stieglitz's exte...
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 ...