Georgia O'Keeffe 1932

Alfred Stieglitz captured this photograph of Georgia O’Keeffe using gelatin silver print. Observe the stark profile and the way it is sharply cast against the neutral background. This pose reminds us of ancient Roman portraiture, where the profile was used to convey both individuality and an ideal of timeless beauty. Think, for example, of the profile portraits on Roman coins, immortalizing emperors. In Stieglitz's photograph, the sharp contour of O'Keeffe's face is more than a mere likeness. It's an assertion of strength and character, a timeless visage. But what does it mean for Stieglitz to echo these classical forms? Perhaps it's an attempt to elevate the modern woman, to connect her to a lineage of powerful figures. We can observe that these representations carry a psychological weight, an attempt to tap into a collective memory of authority and resilience. The profile, then, is not just a feature, but a bridge across eras, continually re-emerging with new meanings, always in dialogue with its historical echoes.