Georgia O'Keeffe—Torso 1931

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, entitled *Georgia O'Keeffe—Torso*, at an unknown date. During a time when women’s bodies were often overly sexualized or demurely covered, Stieglitz sought to portray O’Keeffe’s body in a way that emphasized its natural form and strength. In Stieglitz’s photographs, O’Keeffe’s body becomes a landscape, a testament to the female form as powerful, not as a passive object. Stieglitz once said, “I photographed her until I got into her very soul.” Yet, the power dynamics of their relationship as artist and muse, husband and wife, are undeniable and raise questions about agency and representation. While the photograph challenges traditional ideals of beauty, it also invites us to reflect on the complexities of female identity, artistic expression, and the gaze of the beholder. It asks us to consider whose perspective truly shapes our understanding and appreciation of the female form.