Hilma Af Klint

Hilma af Klint was born on October 26, 1862 in Solna, Sweden. She was a Swedish painter and pioneer of abstract art. Her works were not recognized and appreciated until many years after her death, as she remained largely unknown during her lifetime. Hilma grew up in a wealthy family and showed an interest in art and science from an early age. She studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, where she was one of the first women to receive a formal art education.

After graduating in 1887, Hilma af Klint began to explore spiritual and esoteric topics. She was a member of the Theosophical Society and was interested in the connection between art and spirituality. These interests led her to form a group called "De Fem" (The Five), which engaged in spiritual séances and automatic drawing. These experiences significantly influenced her artistic work.

Between 1906 and 1915, Hilma af Klint created her most famous series of works, the "Paintings for the Temple." This series consists of over 190 abstract paintings that she considered to be visual representations of spiritual ideas. Her work was far ahead of its time and was only rediscovered in the 1980s when interest in abstract art and female artists grew. Today, she is considered one of the most important pioneers of abstract art, although her works were long overshadowed by her male contemporaries.