Hilma af Klint
Hilma af Klint was a Swedish artist and a seeker of mystical truths. She painted some of the earliest abstract art in the Western world, even before Kandinsky (who for years has been considered as a pioneer of this matter). Part of a spiritual group known as "The Five," Hilma and her friends were deeply into Theosophy (a religion established in the United States during the late 19th century), often holding séances to connect with higher spiritual beings. Her artworks, resembling intricate diagrams at times, were her way of translating complex spiritual concepts into visual form.
Her intriguing series Doves portrays these birds as a symbol of land, sea, and sky. Appearing in only some of the paintings, the doves are shown moving downwards from upper to lower realms, symbolically linking spirit with matter and heaven with earth and reflecting Hilma af Klint’s desire to overcome dualities and achieve a state of harmony. In her works, the dove is not just a Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit but also a universal sign of peace and divine connection. Af Klint skillfully blends elements of religion, cosmology, and even science—like spirals hinting at DNA's structure—into her art. Her work is a dance between abstract and symbolic, blending science and spirituality and moving towards a sense of peace and completeness.
If you love her works as much as we do, you should check out our Women Artists Notebook, with high-quality reproductions of paintings created by women artists forgotten by the official canon of art history (including Hilma af Klint)!
P.S. Explore the story behind Hilma af Klint's iconic (and enormous) series of paintings: The Ten Largest. Aren't they fascinating?