Hilma af Klint, Les peintures du Temple (1906-1915)

Her work has marked the chronology of modern art. For the first time in France, discover the world of Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), a pioneer of abstraction who long remained in the shadows. From her large-scale compositions to her secret works, her art boldly intertwines color, form and symbol.

Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm, Hilma af Klint led a double artistic life: a figurative practice in line with the expectations of her time; and, in secret, an avant-garde production nourished by theosophy and spiritualism, exploring cosmic harmony and invisible forces.

As early as 1906, well before Kandinsky or Malevich, she created compositions in which vivid colors, geometric shapes and organic motifs anticipated modern art movements. Spirals, circles and beams bear witness to a freedom of creation.

On this occasion, the Grand Palais and the Centre Pompidou present her major work: the cycle “Paintings for the Temple” (1906–1915), including the series “Ten Largest.”

The exhibition also highlights the multiple sources of her inspiration (esotericism, folk art, scientific culture) and questions the long-overlooked role of women in the history of modern art.

The first monographic exhibition in France, this event also retraces her career. Hilma af Klint had chosen to keep her abstract works hidden, having them sealed for twenty years after her death. It was not until 1986, with the exhibition The Spiritual in Art in Los Angeles, that her work was shown to the general public.

Curatorship: Pascal Rousseau, professor at University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Exhibition design: Pascal Rodriguez, architect‑scenographer, Centre Pompidou.