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Oil on canvas, 39 1/8 x 30 inches
CR No. 667
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Art Institute Purchase Fund, 1943.95
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Most of this picture is taken up by a thick-armed, black cross. A stylized landscape beyond has densely packed, gray and brown hills leading back to a horizon lined with burnt orange and vivid yellow. The crossbeam sits just over the horizon, which comes halfway up the painting. Four round objects, presumably nail heads, are unevenly spaced on the crossing of the beams. The sky above the crossbeam, in the upper corners of the canvas, lightens from powder blue across the top to light yellow above the cross. A white circle near the upper right corner suggests a distant moon or bright star.
CR No. 667
Title (1999 Catalogue Raisonné)
Black Cross
Source of title: backing inscription 1.
Alternate Title (1999 Catalogue Raisonné)
Black Cross, Arizona
Source of title: Whitney Archive, Downtown Gallery Archive, Abiquiú Notebooks.
Black Cross, New Mexico
Source of title: Whitney Archive, Downtown Gallery Archive, Abiquiú Notebooks. (Title used by Art Institute of Chicago.)
General Remarks
Whitney Archive, Abiquiú Notebooks indicate, 'Sold to Art Institute of Chicago, 1943. 'Whitney Archive indicates, 'Note: Miss O'Keeffe says this New Mexico.' Pictured in 1930 and 1935 New York (An American Place) Stieglitz installation photographs, see Appendix III, figures 38, 40, 59, 60. O'Keeffe wrote: 'I saw the crosses so often –– and often in unexpected places –– like a thin dark veil of the Catholic Church spread over the New Mexico landscape. I also painted a cross I saw at sunset against the hills near Cameron [Arizona] –– hills that look small until you see telephone poles like toothpicks going up and down and you know they are high . . . . The cross was big and strong, put together with wooden pegs.'(Georgia O'Keeffe [1976], unpaginated, text accompanying entry 64). The cross in this painting includes the 'wooden pegs' O'Keeffe mentions and, although, she indicates in Whitney Archive that it was painted in New Mexico, her mention of Cameron, Arizona, in reference to a cross that included "wooden pegs" suggests that the picture derives from the observation of Arizona landscape configurations. Reproduced and titled The Black Cross in Creative Art (January 1931), Cross with Arizona Sandhills in Atelier *(June 1931); *Desert Cross, Arizona in America & Alfred Stieglitz (1934); Black Cross, New Mexico in Bulletin of the Art Institute of Chicago (February 1943); Black Cross in Time (May 1943). (Source: Lynes, 1999)
Inscriptions
Backing: 1. "Black Cross 29" (graphite) 2. OK {5star} (graphite) 3. Label: handwritten, "An American Place' / 509 Madison Avenue / New York — N.Y. / Georgia O'Keeffe" 4. Stamp: "Georgia O'Keeffe / An American Place / Room 1710— 509 Madison Ave. / New York — N.Y." (Source: Lynes, 1999)
Inscribed verso, top-middle, on canvas, in black ink: "43.95"; inscribed verso, bottom-middle, on stretcher, in graphite: "40470[C] / 30¢"; stamped verso, top-middle, on stretcher, in purple ink: "WERER / 50"; stamped verso, left-middle and right-middle, on stretcher, in purple ink: "WERER / 39". Newspaper affixed verso, top-left, on stretcher, printed in black ink: [partially torn]. Markings and labels on artist backing: Inscribed recto, top-left corner, in black ink: "43.95 / R7882"; marked recto, top-left, in black crayon: “xx”; inscribed recto, top-left, in graphite: “Black Cross”; inscribed recto, top-left in graphite: "OK [in 5-pointed star]"; inscribed recto, left-top, in graphite: “43 [underlined] / 9”; inscribed recto, left-top, in graphite: “BM 22 [crossed out]”; inscribed recto, top-middle, in black crayon: ""BLACK CROSS""; inscribed recto, top-middle, in graphite: “232”; inscribed recto, top-middle, in graphite: 30 1/8 [crossed out] / 16 x 39 actual”; inscribed recto, top-right, in white chalk: “16 [encircled]”; marked recto, top-right, in black crayon: “III”; inscribed recto, top-right, in graphite: “2 [encircled] 6P.”; inscribed recto, top-right, in graphite: “Field / Bin 3”; marked recto, right-top, in black crayon: “III”; stamped recto, top-right corner, in black ink: "GEORGIA O'KEEFFE / AN AMERICAN PLACE / ROOM 1710 - 509 MADISON AVE. / NEW YORK, - N. Y."; inscribed recto, bottom-left, in blue pencil: "52B [crossed out] / Bin 26 [crossed out]", in black crayon: "5 [crossed out]; marked recto, bottom-left, in black crayon: “x”; marked recto, bottom-right and right-bottom, in black crayon: “II”; inscribed recto, right-bottom in white chalk: "48 [in diamond]". Label (square, white) affixed recto, top-left, inscribed in black ink: “”An American Place”” / 509 Madison Avenue / New York – N. Y. // [line] // Georgia O’Keeffe”, inscribed top-right, in graphite: “11”, marked bottom-left, in black crayon: “X”; label (rectangular, white) affixed recto, top-middle, printed in black ink: “THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO / SHIPPING ROOM / CONDITION OF CONTENTS / DATE”, inscribed in graphite: “MAY 18 1942” / printed: “R. O. No. / BOX No / REG. No / No. OF ITEMS / SIGNED BY”, inscribed in graphite: “Miles” / printed: “5000—8-26”, column break, printed: “THE ITEMS CHECKED BELOW WERE DAM- / AGED AS NOTED / SCULPTURE / CANVAS / FRAME”, inscribed in graphite: “very badly damaged / on upper stick left” / printed: “GLASS”, inscribed: “cracked”; stamp (rectangular, white, 4 perforated sides) affixed recto, top-right, typed in black ink: “Museum of Modern Art / LOAN”, typed in black ink: “46.763 / Chicago”; stamp (rectangular, white, 4 perforated sides) affixed recto, top-right, typed in black ink: “Museum of Modern Art / LOAN”, typed in black ink: “43.2189 / Chicago”; label (rectangular, white) affixed recto, top-right corner, printed and typed in black ink: “Fasten on back of work in upper left hand corner / THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO / EXHIBITION GEORGIA O’KEEFFE / DATES JAN. FEB. 1943 / ARTIST GEORGIA O’KEEFFE / TITLE BLACK CROSS, NEW MEXICO 1929 / OWNER GEORGIA O’KEEFFE / OWNER’S ADDRESS Room 1710 / 509 Madison Avenue”. Markings and labels on Masonite backing: Inscribed verso, top-left corner, in black marker: “43.95 / BLACK CROSS – NEW MEXICO / BY. GEORGIA OKEEFFE”; inscribed verso, top-left, in graphite: 163/8/7”; inscribed verso, middle-left, in graphite: “156/8 57 [underlined] / 72 5/8”. Label (rectangular, white) affixed verso, middle-top, printed in black ink: “GEORGIA O'KEEFFE EXHIBITION // MAY 28 TO JULY 3, 1966 // THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON”; stamp (square, yellow, 3 perforated sides) affixed verso, top-middle, inscribed in black marker: “0189/L-541 / TAOS/SANTA FE / EXHIBITION / GEORGIA O’KEEFFE [UNDERLINED] / CHICAGO ART / INSTITUTE”; stamp (rectangular, white, 2 perforated sides) affixed recto, top-right, typed in black ink: “Museum of Modern Art / LOAN”, typed in black ink: “76.596 / Chicago”; label (rectangular, white) affixed verso, top-left, printed and typed in black ink: “WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART / 945 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10021 / Artist Georgia O’Keeffe / Title BLACK CROSS, NEW MEXICO/ [missing] / Art In[stitute] of Chicago” / stamped in black ink: “[GEORGIA O’KEEFFE / RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION / OCTOBER 8] [N]OV[EM]BER [2]9, 1970”; label (rectangular, white, with red line border) affixed verso, top-left, printed in red ink: “The Art Institute of Chicago” / typed in black ink: “Georgia O’Keeffe / Black Cross, New Mexico. / A.I.C. 1943.95” / inscribed in black marker: “75.”; label (rectangular, white) affixed verso, left-top, printed in red ink and typed in black ink: "SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF ART / REG. No. 191.71 / ARTIST Georgia O'Keeffe / TITLE BLACK CROSS, NEW MEXICO. 1929. / MEDIUM oil on canvas EX. DATES 3/19-4/25,1971 / EXHIBITION GEORGIA O'KEEFFE: RETROSPECTIVE."; label (rectangular, white) affixed verso, top-middle, printed and typed in black ink: “FROM / THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO / CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60603, U. S. A. / To / “Black Cross, New Mexico” / By Georgia O’Keeffe / 43.95”; label (rectangular, white) taped verso, top-middle, stamped in black ink: “FRAMED UNDER / PLEXIGLAS / DO NOT TAPE”, inscribed in graphite: “Box 24”; stamp (rectangular, white, 2 perforated sides) affixed verso, middle, on backing, inscribed in red marker: "K-21"; label (square, white and grey) affixed verso, middle, printed in blue and white ink, and typed in black ink: "AMON CARTER MUSEUM / EXHIBIT PAINTINGS BY / GEORGIA O'KEEFFE DATE March, 1966 / TITLE BLACK CROSS, NEW MEXICO / ARTIST Georgia O'Keeffe 1929 / MEDIUM oil on Canvas / "DIM. 39" x 30" / CREDIT The Art Institute of Chicago / Art Institute Purchase Fund / BOX NO. // 3501 CAMP BOWIE BOULEVARD MAIL ADDRESS BOX 2365 FORT WORTH TEXAS 76101"; label (rectangular, white) affixed verso, middle-bottom, printed in black ink and inscribed in black ballpoint ink: “McNAY ART INSTITUTE / SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS / EXHIBITION “Georgia O’Keeffe” / DATE 24 oct.-30 Nov. 75 / NUMBER 1 / Art Institute of Chicago”; missing label verso, top-left [adhesive residue]. (Source: Art Institute of Chicago, 2025)
Technique
Oil Painting
Materials
Oil on canvas
1966
Amon Carter Museum of American Art (as Georgia O'Keeffe: An Exhibition of the Work of the Artist from 1915 to 1966)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFA H) (as Georgia O'Keeffe: An Exhibition of the Work of the Artist from 1915 to 1966)
1970–1971
Whitney Museum of American Art (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
Art Institute of Chicago (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
1975
1987–1989
National Gallery of Art (NGA) (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
Art Institute of Chicago (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
Dallas Museum of Art (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) (as Georgia O'Keeffe)
2024–2025
Art Institute of Chicago (as Georgia O'Keeffe: "My New Yorks")
High Museum of Art (as Georgia O'Keeffe: "My New Yorks")
Springfield Art Association (as Some Individuals)
Dubuque Museum of Art (as Some Individuals)
South Dakota State University (as Some Individuals)
Carleton College (as Some Individuals)
Reading Public Museum (as Some Individuals)
Decatur Art Institute (as Some Individuals)
Bloomington Art Association (as Some Individuals)
1943
1943–1944
1946
1952
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986), New York and New Mexico; with An American Place, New York, by 1943; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1943. (Source: Art Institute of Chicago, 2025)
© Art Institute of Chicago
Version History
Core fields last updated 5/20/2026
Last verified by current collection Dec 10 2025
Source System ID
8724
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Conservation
Information is from the most recently submitted report, please contact the current owner to verify updated details.Information provided for Access O'Keeffe by Art Institute of Chicago in 2025.
The painting is executed on a preprimed canvas tacked to a four-member stretcher bearing standard size markings from F. Weber and Company, a Philadelphia-based manufacturer of artist materials. Infrared examination reveals the artist began with a pencil sketch of the main forms, including the cross and nails, while incorporating some of the flowing hills in the foreground at a later stage during the process without drawing them first. Cracks in the upper paint layers reveal what appears to be a wash stage beneath the visible layers, at least in some areas, where the artist lightly colored the major forms before going back with thicker paint. In all visible cases, the wash layers below are the same or very similar color to the layers above, indicating little color change in the painting stage
The painting was grime-cleaned and varnished with a polyvinyl acetate synthetic varnish in 1971. Cracking from its early travel history was noted in the darks and the painting classified as travel-restricted after 1986. Canvas buckling in the upper left corner was addressed by local edge-lining and restretching in 1991. Cleavage in the yellow along the horizon developed after 2015 and was consolidated in 2019. This same treatment also included grime cleaning to remove adhered dust and minimal inpainting. Cracking and lifting along the foldover/perimeter were consolidated in 2024. The stretcher is stable, with a minor split near the top at center, numerous holes, and no keys present; newsprint is also adhered intermittently around the top, right and left bars. The unlined canvas is somewhat slack with uneven tension and buckling especially at the upper left, upper right, and along the bottom. Drying/traction crackle is present throughout the blacks, browns, and orange-browns. The work is varnished, with slight gloss differential as the coating was absorbed unevenly by the porous paint film. The painting was fitted with a polybatting-insert backing to reduce canvas vibration and is housed in the artist-commissioned original metal frame.
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COPY CITATION
Georgia O'Keeffe. Black Cross, 1929. Access O’Keeffe, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, https://access-ok.okeeffemuseum.org/object/8724.