Hilma af Klint

For the first time in France, an exhibition presents the world of Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), a pioneer of abstraction who long remained in the shadows. From her large compositions to her secret works, her art blends color, form and symbolism. 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 spiritism, exploring cosmic harmony and invisible forces. As early as 1906, well before Kandinsky or Malevich, she created compositions in which vivid colours, geometric forms and organic motifs heralded currents of modern art. Spirals, circles and beams structure her paintings.

On 6 May 2026 at 8:00 AM at the Grand Palais, the exhibition presents her major work: the cycle Paintings for the Temple (1906–1915), including the series The Ten Largest. It also sheds light on the sources of her inspiration (esotericism, folk art, scientific culture) and examines the role of women in the history of modern art. Hilma af Klint had chosen to keep her abstract works hidden, having them sealed for twenty years after her death. In 1986, the exhibition The Spiritual in Art in Los Angeles revealed her work to the general public.