GEORGE DANIELL American, 1911–2002 O’Keeffe against Building Black and white photograph Pencil signed on the mat and photo's verso. This black-and-white photo shows the American modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe at her private home, Ghost Ranch, in New Mexico. Taken by George Daniell in the 1940s or early 1950s, the picture uses bold light and shadows to show her connection to the desert. O’Keeffe stands against a bright adobe wall, and her dark shadow stands out sharply, representing her quiet and serious way of life. In the front, a leafy flowering bush sits next to the smooth house, while rough, dark hills rise up in the background. image: 10.5 x 10.25 inches; sheet: 14 x 11 inches; mat: 20 x 16 inches $700-900
ARTIST PROFILE: George Daniell (1911–2002) was a versatile American photographer and painter whose work is defined by a cinematic black-and-white aesthetic rooted in the expansive landscapes of his New York childhood. Educated at Yale and the Art Students League, Daniell built a prolific freelance career shooting for major publications like Life and Esquire, often capturing intimate portraits of legendary friends such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Tennessee Williams, and John Marin. His portfolio expanded globally during his extensive travels, notably during a stint at Rome's Cinecittà Studios where he produced iconic, sensual studies of Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn. Beyond his celebrity subjects, Daniell demonstrated a deep-rooted interest in the human condition through his "fierce and tender" depictions of working-class men and athletes, eventually settling in Maine in the 1960s to return to his early passion for painting. Today, his artistic legacy is preserved through permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery.
