Alfred Stieglitz photographed Georgia O'Keeffe in a famous series made between 1917 and 1937.
Stieglitz created more than 300 photographs of O'Keeffe during those two decades. The images include close studies of her hands, face, hair, and body, as well as more conventional portraits. Together they document changes in her appearance and present a sustained photographic interpretation of an artist.
The photographs were exhibited and published during O'Keeffe’s lifetime, contributing strongly to her public image. They also helped establish Stieglitz’s reputation as a leading photographer of portraiture and modern American life.
Some viewers interpret the photographs as straightforward biography, while others emphasize the way Stieglitz shaped O'Keeffe’s public identity. O'Keeffe eventually objected to aspects of that representation, but she also recognized the importance of the series to her career and historical legacy.