A Georgia O’Keeffe painting was buried in a New York apartment closet. It is going up for auction

In a New York apartment closet, a Georgia O'Keeffe painting remained hidden for decades, obscured behind coats and boxes. The artwork, an early depiction of the American Southwest, was revealed when the woman in her 90s who lived there casually mentioned it to her niece. The painting, estimated to be worth $3 to $5 million, is set to be auctioned by Christie's.

It is believed to be the first in a series of three, with the other two currently owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rockefeller family. The painting, titled "Lobo Peak near Taos, New Mexico," is considered particularly significant due to its early date and O'Keeffe's representation of her early experiences in the American Southwest.