Black Iris is the Georgia O'Keeffe painting that enlarges a dark iris into a monumental flower image.
O'Keeffe painted Black Iris in 1926, during the period when close-up flower paintings became central to her reputation. The image magnifies the flower’s layered petals so dramatically that viewers encounter it almost as an abstract composition.
O'Keeffe rejected the idea that her flower paintings should be read only as symbols of sexuality. She emphasized that enlarging flowers allowed people to notice forms they might otherwise overlook because flowers are small and familiar.
The painting is often discussed alongside her series of large flowers, including Red Canna and Jimson Weed. Those works share her interest in scale, contour, and color, but Black Iris specifically depicts an iris.