US · International contemporary art platformA long-lost landscape by Georgia O’Keeffe, titled Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I, has resurfaced after being stored in a closet in an East Village apartment. The painting, an early work from 1930, is believed to be the first in a series of three depicting Lobo Peak in New Mexico, north of Taos Pueblo. The rediscovery came about when a private woman mentioned the painting to a relative shortly before her passing. The artwork had remained packed in its original gallery box and unknown to her family until she revealed it to her niece earlier in 2026.
Christie’s experts evaluated the painting and confirmed its authenticity and significance. The work will be included in Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale in New York on November 17, 2026. Prior to the auction, the painting will be displayed publicly during Christie’s Marquee Week exhibition at 20 Rockefeller Center from November 7 to November 17, alongside other notable collections.
Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I captures the expansive skies and rolling hills of the New Mexico landscape, a subject O’Keeffe frequently explored in her modern abstract style. This particular piece reflects her fascination with the region’s unique qualities of light and air, which contrast with the dense urban environment of New York City. The painting’s earth tones and rich impasto emphasize the natural forms and vast distances visible in the area.
This work is part of a series that includes a second iteration held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a third previously owned by David and Peggy Rockefeller. O’Keeffe’s repeated focus on Lobo Peak demonstrates her deep connection to the landscape, which she described in correspondence with her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, expressing a persistent desire to capture the mountain’s essence.
The auction and exhibition of Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I offer the public a rare opportunity to engage with an important early work by O’Keeffe, shedding light on her artistic development and enduring inspiration drawn from the American Southwest. The painting’s emergence enriches the understanding of her oeuvre and highlights the ongoing discovery of significant artworks in unexpected places.
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