Georgia O'Keeffe 1933

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Georgia O'Keeffe using gelatin silver. This image is part of a larger series made by Stieglitz of O'Keeffe, his wife, and fellow artist, which documented her over many years. These photographs were produced in a society that still struggled to accept women as serious artists. Stieglitz's images played a role in shaping O'Keeffe's public image and cementing her status within the art world. Made in the first half of the 20th century, the photographs reflect not only their personal relationship but also prevailing social attitudes towards women in art. Historians might examine letters, diaries, exhibition reviews, and institutional records to better understand the social dynamics reflected in Stieglitz's photographic portrayals of O'Keeffe. Art's meaning is always shaped by the context in which it is created and received.