When Hilma af Klint (1862–1944) began creating radically abstract paintings in 1906, they were like little that had been seen before: bold, colourful, and untethered from any recognisable references to the physical world. It was several years before Vasily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian and others would take similar strides to free their own artwork of representational content. Yet af Klint rarely exhibited her groundbreaking paintings and, convinced the world was not ready for them, stipulated that they not be shown for twenty years following her death. Ultimately, her abstractions remained all but unseen until 1986.

The majestic swan symbolised the ‘grandeur of the spirit’ to Helena Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy, a spiritualist movement of great interest to Hilma af Klint; in alchemy, the swan represents the union of opposites necessary for the creation of the philosopher’s stone, a substance believed to turn base metals into gold.

In this series, af Klint blends such established symbolism with her own idiosyncratic interpretations. The first painting portrays two swans – one black (male, with yellow beak), the other white (female, with blue face and feet). This stark palette underscores the dualities of light and dark, male and female, life and death.

• Gallery quality giclée art print
• 300gsm 100% cotton rag textured art paper
• Natural white with a matte finish
• Archival inks for vivid colour and sharp detail
• Available in multiple sizes
• Can be purchased framed or unframed

Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was a Swedish artist and spiritualist whose colossal works have become known as some of the first examples of abstract art. With an early interest in visual art, mathematics, and botany, af Klint attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm where she excelled in landscape painting and portraiture. While making a living off commission from these conventional endeavors, af Klint became greatly involved in various forms of spiritualism including Anthroposophy, Theosophy, and Rosicrucianism. In the 1890s, she met four other female artists—together, they would become known as “The Five”. The Five met regularly, believing they could communicate with a higher consciousness. These beliefs heavily influenced and even “directed” af Klint’s work. She created her first series of abstract works in 1906, predating other artists such as Kandinsky and Mondrian, who are often regarded as the “pioneers of abstraction”. Soon she began to develop a more intentional and independent expression of her ideas, incorporating biomorphic forms, mathematical proportions, and vibrant hues. Af Klint kept her abstract work hidden from her contemporaries, believing the art world was unready to fully understand it. Stipulating that it remain secret until 20 years after her death, her work was largely unknown until the 1980s. Af Klint painted for a future audience, one willing to embrace a female pioneer in the field and the holistic nature of her work.  

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