Georgia O’Keeffe
American, 1887-1986
Banana Flower from the portfolio “Drawings,” 1968
Offset lithograph
Gift in memory of Barbara K. Moore, 2023
Visual Description: This is a black-and-white lithographic print, measuring approximately 2 feet tall and 1 ½ feet wide, of a flowering banana plant. The plant form is in the center of the paper and is made up of layered triangular protective leaves called spathes that together resemble an upside-down, elongated artichoke. At the top of it are several shriveled, undulating spathes with several delicate banana flowers peeking out from above.
Extended Label Text: O’Keeffe created this depiction of a banana blossom on a 1934 trip to Bermuda, during which she chose to take a hiatus from painting and work only in charcoal. In the drawing, most of the actual banana flowers are hidden beneath the spathes, a type of protective leaf, that make up the artichoke-shaped plant. Several small flowers peek out from behind the shriveled spathes at the top of the form. As the spathes roll back and eventually fall off, the blossoming flowers are revealed and then grow into the banana fruit.
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Georgia O’Keeffe
Estadounidense, 1887-1986
Flor de Plátano del portafolio de obras “Dibujos,” 1968
Litografía offset
Obsequio en memoria de Barbara K. Moore, 2023
Texto de Etiqueta Extendido: O’Keeffe creó esta representación de una flor de plátano en un viaje a las Bermudas en 1934, durante el cual decidió tomarse un descanso de la pintura y trabajar únicamente con carbón. En el dibujo, la mayoría de las flores del plátano están ocultas debajo de brácteas, un tipo de hoja protectora, que componen la planta con forma de alcachofa. Varias flores pequeñas se asoman detrás de las brácteas arrugadas en la parte superior de la forma. A medida que las brácteas retroceden y eventualmente se caen, las flores se revelan y luego crecen hasta convertirse en la fruta del plátano.