Georgia O'Keeffe painting hidden in closet for 40 years could fetch $3m
Georgia O’Keeffe’s long-lost artwork, 'Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I', is set to make waves at an upcoming auction. After nearly 40 years hidden in a New York apartment closet, the painting resurfaced thanks to a spontaneous mention by the niece of its original owner. It will be showcased to the public before its auction on November 17, 2026, with proceeds aimed at supporting family projects and…
A long-lost painting by renowned American modernist Georgia O’Keeffe has emerged after being hidden in a New York apartment closet for nearly four decades. The 10-by-24-inch oil work, titled Near Abiquiu, New Mexico I, was discovered by the owner's niece, who found it packed in its original box after a guest appeared to pay it too much attention during a bridge game in the 1980s.
The painting, created in 1930, depicts Lobo Peak in New Mexico and is estimated to fetch around $3 million at auction. It will be displayed publicly for the first time from November 7 to 17 at Christie’s Rockefeller Center before the sale on November 17, 2026. The artwork had previously been documented through a 1931 photograph and appeared in O’Keeffe's catalogue raisonné, but remained unseen for decades.
The painting's rediscovery is significant as it is likely the first of three O’Keeffe paintings depicting Lobo Peak, with the other two now in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the former Rockefeller family.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Georgia O'Keeffe painting bought for $3,800 could now fetch up to $3m timesofindia.indiatimes.com
