How Much Is Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 Worth?

Conclusion: We estimate the current fair‑market value (hypothetical auction) of Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 (1932) at $60–80 million. This range is anchored by the painting’s $44,405,000 price with premium at Sotheby’s New York on November 20, 2014—still the artist’s auction record—and adjusted upward for inflation, scarcity, and leadership within the oeuvre [1]. The work is now held by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a fact widely reported after the sale, reinforcing its canonical status and long‑term institutional validation [2].

Method and benchmarks: The 2014 sale is a direct, best‑possible comparable for the identical object. CPI adjustment alone places that price in the low‑$60 millions in recent dollars, which forms the floor of our range [6]. To test the ceiling, we reference recent top‑tier O’Keeffe florals: White Rose with Larkspur No. 1 achieved $26,725,000 in 2022 (Paul G. Allen Collection), and Black Iris VI achieved $21,110,000 in 2023—both prime works, but materially smaller and less iconic than the monumental single‑flower Jimson Weed [3][4]. The spread between these strong results and the 2014 record underscores Jimson Weed’s leadership and supports a premium above inflation.

Why this painting commands a premium: Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 is the largest and most celebrated of O’Keeffe’s Datura/Jimson Weed images, from a prime 1932 date, at a commanding 48 × 40 inches. Its single, centered bloom is among the most recognized images in American Modernism. Many peer‑quality large flower canvases reside in museums, limiting supply. This combination—iconic subject, scale, date, pristine provenance, and extensive exhibition history—aligns with the attributes collectors reward most aggressively at evening sales, and explains its enduring record status [1][2].

Market context: Demand for canonical Modern works has remained resilient, with a structural revaluation of women artists adding depth at the trophy level. The category’s strength through 2024–2025 provides a supportive macro backdrop for a blue‑chip icon like Jimson Weed [7]. Although O’Keeffe’s single‑artist record has not been publicly reset since 2014, the broader ceiling for women artists moved higher when Frida Kahlo’s El sueño (La cama) sold for $54.7 million in 2025, confirming robust appetite for museum‑grade, historically significant works by women [5].

Insurance (replacement) value: Given the painting’s institutional ownership, exceptional scarcity, and the difficulty—arguably impossibility—of sourcing a replacement work of equal stature, we set a prudent insurance value at $95,000,000. This sits above likely auction FMV to reflect replacement risk and market dynamics for singular masterpieces.

Notes: This opinion assumes excellent condition and current literature/exhibition status consistent with 2014 disclosures. A current condition report and updated curatorial bibliography would further refine the estimate.