Georgia O'Keeffe c. 1919

This is a photograph of Georgia O’Keeffe made by Alfred Stieglitz. The sepia tones remind me of the past, a little faded but warm. Look at how the light models her face, the soft gradations. There’s a kind of push and pull happening, between the sharp focus on her face, and the softer focus of the background. The darks are so important here, giving depth. Then there’s the way the light falls on her neck, so smooth, sculptural. And what is she wearing? It feels like an everyday jacket and shirt, but there’s also something formal about it. Stieglitz and O’Keeffe were married, and he made many portraits of her over the years. There's something quite modern about this, like a snapshot of two artists that are looking for something. It’s a document of a relationship, and also a reminder that art is always about looking, and looking again.