Georgia O'Keeffe Possibly 1918 - 1937

This photograph, by Alfred Stieglitz, portrays Georgia O’Keeffe in monochrome, and it's a great example of how artists capture their subjects in ways that reveal something deeper. Look at how Stieglitz plays with light and shadow. The soft gradations create a sense of depth, almost like he’s painting with light. I'm drawn to the way the light catches O’Keeffe’s face, highlighting her gaze, which is directed upwards, lost in thought. The background is mottled, full of soft texture. It makes me think about how texture can be found anywhere, and it is something that painters attempt to replicate, through the layering and manipulation of paint. Stieglitz made many portraits of O’Keeffe and they chart the development of their relationship. Each of them is a slightly different image of the same person, with different feelings and ideas. They are snapshots of an ongoing conversation. Like all great art, this photograph embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations.