Georgia O'Keeffe used charcoal for her famous 1916 series of abstract drawings.
The drawings were made in black charcoal on paper and reduced form to lines, shapes, and tonal contrasts. They were among the works that Alfred Stieglitz exhibited at his New York gallery 291 in 1916. Their bold abstraction attracted attention because they did not depend on recognizable landscapes or objects.
O'Keeffe later became especially known for oil paintings of flowers, buildings, bones, and landscapes, but her career included many media. She also worked with watercolor, pastel, and pencil. The 1916 charcoal drawings therefore belong to an important early phase rather than representing the only medium she used.
The series helped make O'Keeffe one of the first American artists recognized for fully abstract work. Stieglitz initially exhibited the drawings without her permission, which caused tension, but the presentation brought her art to influential viewers. Charcoal is the specific medium associated with this breakthrough group.