Which 1931 Georgia O'Keeffe painting shows a cow skull against a blue New Mexico sky?

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Georgia O'Keeffe's 1931 painting of a cow skull against a blue New Mexico sky is Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue.

The painting presents a bleached cow skull centered against a vivid blue background, with red and white accents that evoke the colors named in its title. O'Keeffe collected animal bones in the New Mexico landscape and transformed them into monumental, carefully composed subjects.

Its title refers to the American flag's colors, but the work is not a literal flag image. O'Keeffe's use of the skull reflects her interest in desert forms, endurance, and the stark beauty of objects shaped by weather and time.

The painting belongs to her mature New Mexico period. It is often grouped with related bone paintings such as Cow's Skull with Calico Roses and Ram's Head, White Hollyhock-Hills, but each work has a distinct title and composition.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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