Which Georgia O’Keeffe series began after she found a pelvic bone in New Mexico?

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Pelvis Series began after she found a pelvic bone in New Mexico.

The series developed from O’Keeffe’s sustained fascination with animal bones gathered in the desert. She was particularly interested in the way a pelvis could frame the sky, turning a natural object into a visual opening or architectural structure.

O’Keeffe painted the Pelvis Series in 1940, using bones as both recognizable objects and abstract forms. The works connect her New Mexico subject matter with her long-standing interest in simplified shapes, negative space, and the relationship between close observation and abstraction.

The series should not be confused with her earlier Ram’s Head paintings, which also use bones and desert landscapes. “Pelvis Series” refers specifically to works centered on pelvic bones, including Pelvis Series, Red with Yellow and Blue.