Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue is a painting by American artist Georgia O'Keeffe. The painting depicts a cow skull centered in front of what appears to be a cloth background. In the center of the background is a vertical black stripe. On either side of that are two vertical stripes of white laced with blue. At the outside of the painting are two vertical red stripes.
O'Keeffe created the painting in 1931. It is done in oil on canvas and measures 39 7/8 x 35 7/8 inches. (101.3 x 91.1 cm). It is part of the Alfred Stieglitz Collection (1952) of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]
Around the time of the painting's creation, American artists, musicians, and writers were interested in identifying a uniquely American style and subject matter for their work.[1] They sought out themes for the "Great American Novel" or "Great American Story". O'Keeffe offered a different opinion about what images could best symbolize America.
In this case, O'Keeffe used a weathered cow's skull to represent the enduring spirit of America or depicting Jesus Christ on the cross with touches on the strong ties to Christianity. The painting prominently displays the three colors of the American flag behind the cow skull. Although she said made it as a joke on the concept of the "Great American Painting," the picture has become a quintessential icon of the American West.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Timeline of Art History". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Archived from the original on 2004-12-24. Retrieved 2013-05-13.