The Straight Stuff on O’Keeffe’s Oil
A Georgia O’Keeffe painting hung the wrong way at the University of Minnesota Art Museum for nearly 30 years before the error was discovered, the museum’s director says.
“Oriental Poppies,” a 1928 oil painting, was placed vertically, instead of horizontally, said Lyndel King, the museum director.
She discovered the mistake about two weeks ago while doing research for an essay on the museum’s permanent collection.
King found a 1937 article in an old scrapbook that included a photograph of the O’Keeffe painting. Further research showed that the work had, indeed, been painted as a horizontal, King said.
The museum purchased the work in 1937.
King said the museum probably won’t rehang the painting before the current exhibition ends later this month.
“I assume that by the time we hang it again, it’ll be as a horizontal,” King said. “What the heck, it looks terrific either way.”
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