Final answer:
Alfred Stieglitz played a crucial role in Georgia O'Keeffe's artistic career and personal life, promoting her work extensively through his gallery and capturing her essence in his photos, which led to their eventual marriage and continued artistic collaboration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alfred Stieglitz, an influential photographer and art promoter, met Georgia O'Keeffe when a friend showcased her drawings at his gallery at 291 in 1916. Intrigued by her work, Stieglitz displayed O'Keeffe's paintings, which marked the beginning of a significant professional and personal relationship. By 1917, their collaboration evolved, and O'Keeffe moved to New York, working in a studio provided by Stieglitz who was changing his own artistic style at the time. Transitioning from encapsulated scenes to modernist fragmented perspectives, Stieglitz chose O'Keeffe as his primary model, capturing over three hundred images of her that focused on parts like hands, neck, and emotional poses, veering away from traditional portraiture. Their relationship eventually led to marriage after Stieglitz's divorce, and O'Keeffe became an integral part of his art promotion endeavors, which also involved successfully selling her work. O'Keeffe herself explored new artistic paths, inspired by the landscapes and cultures of New Mexico, balancing her presence between there and New York. After Stieglitz's death, O'Keeffe moved permanently to New Mexico, continuing her artistic journey, and later donated a significant collection of his photographs to the National Gallery of Art.