What was the title of Georgia O'Keeffe's 1935 painting of a white hollyhock and desert bones?
Answer
Ram's Head, White Hollyhock-Hills
Answer
Ram's Head, White Hollyhock-Hills
Georgia O'Keeffe's 1935 painting of a white hollyhock and desert bones is titled Ram's Head, White Hollyhock-Hills. The work combines a ram's skull, a white hollyhock, and a distant New Mexico landscape.
O'Keeffe frequently collected and painted animal bones that she found in the desert. She treated them as durable, elegant forms rather than merely as symbols of death. The bones' curves and openings allowed her to explore shape, space, and the stark light of the Southwest.
The painting also reflects her habit of enlarging or isolating natural objects. The flower and skull appear dramatically close to the viewer, while the hills recede into the background. This combination creates a visual link between intimate still life and expansive landscape.
The title is easy to confuse with other O'Keeffe works involving skulls, flowers, or New Mexico scenery. Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue is a separate 1931 painting, while Black Iris and Red Canna are flower paintings without this particular combination.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026