Special No. 39

Special No. 39 is a powerful charcoal on paper drawing created by Georgia O'Keeffe in 1919. This pivotal early work exemplifies the American artist's commitment to pure abstraction following her tenure in Texas. Moving beyond literal representation, the piece explores the tension and flow inherent in dynamic, organic forms, executed with stark monochromatic precision. The year 1919 marks a crucial turning point in O'Keeffe's career, signaling her full embrace of modernism, influenced significantly by her close association with photographer and promoter Alfred Stieglitz.

The technical mastery demonstrated in the drawing is evident in O'Keeffe’s deliberate handling of the charcoal medium. She utilizes the inherent richness of the material, shifting between delicate, feathery lines that define the edges of her compositions and deep, velvety masses of shading to create a dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The forms within the work are intensely focused and often highly magnified, suggesting intimate, interior bodily landscapes or elements abstracted from nature. The careful application of the charcoal and the dramatic scale of the composition elevate the work from a simple preparatory sketch to a finished, monumental study.

This piece stands as an important document of early 20th-century American modernism, showcasing O'Keeffe's groundbreaking approach to formal elements such as line, tone, and volume. The artist’s radical experimentation during this period solidified her reputation as a leading figure in the cultural landscape. Today, the original drawing resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. Due to its historical significance, the demand for high-quality images and prints of works from this era remains consistent, providing scholars and enthusiasts with the opportunity to study O'Keeffe's formative years before these images might enter the public domain.