Georgia O'Keeffe's 1916 drawing series shown by Alfred Stieglitz was titled Specials. The works were a group of abstract charcoal drawings that Stieglitz exhibited at his New York gallery without first obtaining O'Keeffe's permission.
Anita Pollitzer had brought O'Keeffe's drawings to Stieglitz, who recognized their originality and arranged the exhibition. The episode introduced O'Keeffe to the New York art scene and began the professional relationship that shaped the next stage of her career.
The title Specials is easy to confuse with general descriptions such as “abstract drawings” or “charcoal drawings.” Those descriptions identify the medium or style, not the documented title of the series. O'Keeffe's early abstractions were significant because they were not simply studies from nature; they explored rhythm, line, and emotional intensity.
Stieglitz's gallery, then known as 291, had become a major venue for modern art in the United States. O'Keeffe's first solo exhibition there followed in 1917.