Georgia O'Keeffe Possibly 1918 - 1934

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe using the camera as a tool to explore light and shadow, much like a painter uses a brush. Look closely at the texture he coaxes from the tonal range of black and white. There's a palpable sense of form revealed by the way light falls across O'Keeffe's face. Her gaze is direct, but also slightly turned away, as if she is looking inward. The soft focus around the edges makes it feel intimate, like a stolen moment. Notice the detail in the knit of her sweater, contrasted with the smooth planes of her skin. I’m reminded of the portraits of Gertrude Stein by Picasso – an attempt to capture not just a likeness, but the essence of a person. Stieglitz and O'Keeffe's relationship was both personal and artistic, and this photo is an artifact of that exchange. It’s a quiet, powerful image that leaves space for us to fill in our own interpretations.