In 1923, O'Keeffe began painting flowers and leaves, creating some of her best-known work. Oriental Poppies and related flower paintings have been seen by some scholars as her response to such modern photographers as Alfred Stieglitz and Paul Strand, who "zoomed in" on and closely cropped their subject in an attempt to discover its core essence. O'Keeffe emulates this technique in her compositions. By creating an oversized close-up of the poppies and removing them from any discernible context, she abstracts the organic forms into black and red shapes.
Oak Leaves, Pink and Gray
1929, oil on canvas, 33-1/8" x 18"
General Budget Fund
In Oak Leaves, Pink and Gray, the artist examines every crevice and vein of the leaves, exploring the harmony of decay and rebirth in nature, a theme prevalent in her work. Here, O'Keeffe has created a composition that is both objective, because the leaves are a recognizable subject, and abstract, because the broad expanse of color compels the viewer to read the image in terms of pure form and color.