Poppy 2 

Georgia O'Keeffe painted "Poppy 2" using oil on canvas, zeroing in on the flower to abstract its form. O'Keeffe was working in the United States at a time when the art world was dominated by men. Often, her work was interpreted through the lens of her gender. Critics frequently sexualized her flower paintings, an interpretation that O'Keeffe vehemently rejected. She sought to celebrate the natural world through her art, enlarging her subjects to invite viewers to appreciate their intricate details. Understanding O'Keeffe's work requires attention to the social and artistic climate in which she was working. Her artistic choices, whether consciously or unconsciously, challenged the prevailing norms of the art world and opened up new possibilities for women artists. We can come to appreciate art's power to reflect and challenge the values of its time by exploring such contextual information.