Why did Alfred Stieglitz photograph Georgia O’Keeffe so often?

Alfred Stieglitz’s extensive serial portrait of Georgia O’Keeffe—comprising more than 300 photographs taken over 20 years—was driven by his desire to capture the many facets of a single subject.1

Beyond his artistic interest in the human form, Stieglitz used these photographs to promote his specific vision of O’Keeffe’s work. He equated the creative process with sexual energies and sought to define her art as the visual manifestation of a sexually liberated woman. By exhibiting these photographs—many of which featured her in the nude or in various stages of undress—alongside her paintings, he provided visual "equivalents" for his theories. This association successfully captured the attention of critics, who subsequently interpreted her work through a Freudian lens.2

While these images were instrumental in establishing O’Keeffe as a celebrated Modernist artist, O’Keeffe herself eventually objected to the sexualized public image Stieglitz had created. She later worked to reshape her public persona to emphasize her identity as a serious, hardworking professional.2