The Swan, No. 17, Group IX/SUW

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by Hilma af Klint

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Artist Statement

The Swan, No. 17, Group IX/SUW is part of a group of 24 oil canvases created between 1914 and 1915 by Hilma af Klint. More geometric in style than the Ten Largest group, The Swan paintings employ symmetry and balance throughout the series, often displaying a single form repeated or mirrored in abstract ways across the canvas. 

No. 17’s central circle suggests a duality that appears in much of af Klint’s work: light vs. dark, whole vs. part, grayscale vs. bright colors. While at first glance the composition of No. 17 appears to depart from some of af Klint’s other more biomorphic, organic style pieces, common underlying themes of spiritualism, symbolism, and color coding are woven throughout her entire body of work.

Why We Love It

Each of af Klint’s works at its core is meditative. Without any knowledge of the beliefs and motifs behind each piece, you’re drawn into the paintings by meandering lines and strategic color composition. Whether by instinctual thought patterns or connecting to something divine through art, af Klint’s work offers a momentary abstract escape. Read more on the blog!

Details

+ Limited-edition, exclusive to 20x200
+ Museum quality: archival inks, 100% cotton rag paper unless noted
+ Handcrafted custom-framing is available

Our quoted dimensions are for the size of paper containing the images, not the printed image itself. We do not alter the aspect ratio, nor do we crop or resize the artists’ originals. All of our prints have a minimum border of .5 inches to allow for framing.

Medium:

Museo Portfolio Rag

Edition Structure:
8"x8" | edition of 10
11"x11" | edition of 200
16"x16" | edition of 50
20"x20" | edition of 25
24"x24" | edition of 25

Hilma af Klint

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... Read More
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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