Blue Morning Glories 1935

Here you're viewing one of Georgia O'Keeffe's paintings of a flower. O'Keeffe, working in the early to mid-20th century, became renowned for her close-up depictions of flowers. O’Keeffe created these paintings at a time of shifting gender roles and increasing female presence in the arts. She, along with other women artists, were forging new paths and challenging traditional representations. Many have read these works as overt depictions of female genitalia, although O’Keeffe herself resisted this interpretation. Regardless of the accuracy, these paintings offer an alternative narrative, one where female sexuality is expressed through the sensuousness of nature. As O'Keeffe stated, "If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it, no one would look at it, because I see it small I paint it big". Consider the role of flowers in art history and the gendered associations they often carry. How does O'Keeffe's approach challenge or subvert these traditional notions?