Jack-in-Pulpit Abstraction - No. 5

Jack-in-Pulpit Abstraction - No. 5, painted by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1930, is a masterful oil on canvas that exemplifies the artist’s commitment to interpreting natural forms through the lens of modernist abstraction. This painting belongs to a sequence of six works created between 1929 and 1930 in which O'Keeffe systematically moved from a recognizable depiction of the Jack-in-the-pulpit flower to a nearly pure, non-objective composition.

Created during the dynamic period of American art spanning 1926 to 1950, this canvas stands among O’Keeffe’s most significant achievements in abstraction. The piece moves beyond the intimate scale typically associated with botanical studies, utilizing magnified forms and monumental size to elevate the subject matter. O’Keeffe focuses intensely on the central elements of the flower, such as the curved spathe and the dark, columnar spadix, rendering them in stark, almost architectural planes of color. The composition relies on deep violet, velvety black, and high-contrast white to define the internal geometry and depth of the forms.

Through this work, O’Keeffe compels the viewer to confront the hidden complexities found in the natural world. Unlike many of her contemporaries, O'Keeffe refused to abandon figuration entirely, instead using extreme magnification as a means to achieve formal abstraction. This unique approach defined her legacy within the broader American modernist movement. The precise execution in oil allows the textural difference between the opaque planes and the subtle transitions of shadow to emphasize the organic quality of the structure, even as it approaches pure form. This important canvas resides in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, serving as a powerful demonstration of O’Keeffe’s innovative technique. The continued relevance of Jack-in-Pulpit Abstraction - No. 5 ensures that high-quality prints of the work remain central to collections documenting 20th-century American art history.