Christie's to Auction Rediscovered O'Keeffe Painting
Georgia O'Keeffe's 1930 painting "Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I" is slated for sale at Christie's on November 17.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Fine Art
Christie's will offer Georgia O'Keeffe's 1930 painting "Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I" at its 20th Century Evening sale on November 17. The work, which depicts Lobo Peak, had been stored in an East Village apartment closet for decades.
Why it matters
The painting is one of three iterations of the work, and its sale brings a rarely seen version of O'Keeffe's New Mexico landscapes to market. Its rediscovery adds to the record of works from the artist's New Mexico period.
The painting may sell for up to $3 million at the November 17 sale, one of three iterations of the work, with the second held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The final price and buyer remain unknown until the auction closes.
The players
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O'Keeffe was an American modernist painter best known for her large-scale flower paintings and her landscapes of New Mexico.
Christie's
Christie's is a major international auction house headquartered in London and New York that sells fine art, antiques and collectibles.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a large art museum in New York City that holds one of the world's most extensive art collections.
The details
The painting was stashed in an East Village closet for decades before being consigned to Christie's. It was painted in 1930, one year after O'Keeffe's first visit to New Mexico, and its third iteration once belonged to David and Peggy Rockefeller.
Timeline
1930: O'Keeffe completes the painting one year after her first New Mexico visit.
November 17: The painting is offered at Christie's 20th Century Evening sale.
Market Landscape
The sale fits within O'Keeffe's New Mexico landscape series, which began after her first visit to the state in 1929 and produced multiple versions of the same subjects. The painting's sale adds one of the rare works from that series to the public market.
Collectors and museum buyers can bid on the painting only through Christie's November 17 sale, so the work will be available to the public for viewing only before the auction. Those not bidding may see it only in institutional or private collections afterward.
The takeaway
Major works by American modernists can remain out of public view for decades, so rediscovered pieces like this one often reach the market with little prior notice. Readers interested in art sales can follow auction calendars to see when such works are offered.
What happens next
The painting is scheduled to be offered at Christie's 20th Century Evening sale on November 17, when the sale result will be known.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Fine Art for context on major sales and artists.
