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Georgia O'Keeffe Museum: Access O'Keeffe
Georgia O'Keeffe
No. 12 – Special, 1915
Courtesy of National Gallery of Art.
Image: okeeffe_CR52_no-12-special_857674.jpg
Georgia O'Keeffe
No. 12 – Special, 1915
Charcoal on paper, 24 1/8 x 18 1/2 inches
CR No. 52
Charcoal on paper, 24 1/8 x 18 1/2 inches
CR No. 52

Two bird-like forms curl around a central circular shape. Behind these elements are cloud shapes at the top right corner of the work as well as small rectangular strips at the bottom right and top left of the image. The rest of the background has been shaded dark gray.

CR No. 52

Title (1999 Catalogue Raisonné)

No. 12 – Special

Source of title: Whitney Archive, Abiquiú Notebooks indicate lost inscription on original backing, "On backing by O'Keeffe, 'No. 12 – 1915 Special.' Star and initials."

Alternate Title (1999 Catalogue Raisonné)

Drawing No. 12

Source of title: Whitney Archive, Downtown Gallery Archive, Abiquiú Notebooks.

General Remarks

Whitney Archive indicates, "Exam. At Whitney Mus, May 1946. . . . Note: O'Keeffe sent the wrong drawing to the exhibition and title in catalogue is not correct –– should be 'Drawing No. 12'" [refers to 1917 exhibition]. Included in 1916 exhibition on basis of Stieglitz–O'Keeffe correspondence. (Source: Lynes, 1999)

Inscriptions

Verso: "#5" (unidentified hand, graphite, probably Alfred Stieglitz) (Source: Lynes, 1999)

Technique

Drawing

Materials

Charcoal on paper

Extended Medium Description

Charcoal on medium thick, cream moderately textured laid paper; Watermark: INGRES PMF (ITALIA)
(Source: Paper Survey researched by Judith C. Walsh and published in Lynes, 1999.)

Estate of the artist, 1986; The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation, Abiquiu, New Mexico, 1991 (Source: Lynes, 1999)

Credits & Rights

© Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington

Administrative Information

Version History

Core fields last updated 5/20/2026

Source System ID

8252

Other IDs

52, Catalogue Raisonné