Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor drawing by Hilma af Klint. It dates from 8 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Two are labeled with German words: *"Widerstand Ungeduld"* (resistance, impatience) and *"Gehorsam Geduld"* (obedience, patience).
This sheet shows four small circles and one big one, all drawn in pencil and watercolor. The small circles have lines inside—some dashed, some dotted, in red, blue, and black. Two are labeled with German words: *"Widerstand Ungeduld"* (resistance, impatience) and *"Gehorsam Geduld"* (obedience, patience). The big circle in the middle is faint, with overlapping lines that look like they’re shifting.
The date in the corner says April 8, 1920. These sketches were part of a set of 46 drawings made by the artist.
Next, check out Hilma af Klint.
Overview
Created in 1908, this small paper work belongs to a series of forty‑six drawings by Swedish painter Hilma af Klint. Executed with watercolor, pencil, ink and metallic paint, the piece combines simple geometric forms with handwritten annotations, reflecting the artist’s systematic approach to visualizing inner concepts.
Subject & Meaning
The composition consists of four diminutive circles surrounding a larger central one. Interior lines within the small circles appear as dashed or dotted strokes in red, blue and black, while two circles carry German captions—"Widerstand Ungeduld" (resistance, impatience) and "Gehorsam Geduld" (obedience, patience). The central circle is faint, its overlapping lines suggesting a sense of movement or transformation.
Technique & Style
Af Klint employed a mixed media method, layering transparent watercolor washes with precise pencil drawings and occasional metallic highlights. The use of color‑coded line work and the restrained palette underscores a diagrammatic quality, aligning the drawing with her broader practice of rendering abstract spiritual ideas through a quasi‑scientific visual language.
History & Provenance
The drawing bears the date 8 April 1920, indicating it was completed later than the initial 1908 date associated with the series. It remains part of the original portfolio of forty‑six works that af Klint assembled as a private record of her explorations into theosophical and occult themes.
Context
During the early twentieth century af Klint collaborated with a group known as "The Five," a circle of women engaged in Theosophy, séances and the study of metaphysical doctrines. The drawing exemplifies how she translated the group's esoteric discussions into visual symbols before abstract painting entered mainstream modernism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hilma af Klint (Swedish: ; 26 October 1862 – 21 October 1944) was a Swedish artist and mystic whose paintings are considered to be among the first major abstract works in Western art history.
