This Hilma af Klint, Alterpiece No 1 is one of 3 Altarpieces she completed, and is a fine art giclee reproduction. It can be seen as a summing-up of the artistic and spiritual development that Klint had undergone in the course of the suite. She had developed a distinctive style of abstract and symbolic painting as an inextricable element in her... The Altarpieces are about the links between the physical and the spiritual world. The pyramid shape symbolizes a stepwise development upward towards the highest spiritual insight in the perfect golden circle.

ABOUT HILMA af KLINT:
Hilma af Klint was a Swedish artist and mystic whose paintings were amongst the first abstract art. She belonged to a group called 'The Five' and the paintings or diagrams were a visual representation of complex philosophical ideas.

The fourth child of Captain Victor af Klint, a Swedish naval commander, and Mathilda af Klint (née Sonntag), Hilma af Klint spent summers with her family at their farm Hammora on the island of Adelsö in Lake Mälaren. In these idylic surroundings Hilma came into contact with nature at an early stage in her life and this deep association with natural forms was to be an inspiration in her work. From her father she adopted an interest in mathematics.

In 1880 her younger sister Hermina died and it was at this time that the spiritual dimension of her life began to develop.

She showed an early ability in visual art and after the family had moved to Stockholm she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts for five years during which time she learned portraiture and landscape painting . Here she met Anna Cassel, the first of the four women with whom she later worked in 'The Five' (de fem), a group of artists who shared her ideas. Her more conventional painting became the source of her financial income while the 'life's work' remained a quite separate practice.

The project on which "the Five" were engaged involved, in 1892, recording in a book a completely new system of mystical thought in the form of messages from higher spirits. One, Gregor, spoke thus: "all the knowledge that is not of the senses, not of the intellect, not of the heart but is the property that exclusively belongs to the deepest aspect of your being...the knowledge of your spirit".

It is interesting to note that af Klint's work ran parallel to the development of abstract art by other artists such as Mondrian, Malevich and Kandinsky who were, like af Klint, inspired by the Theosophical Movement founded by Madame Blavatsky. Af Klint's work can also be seen in the wider context of the modernist search for new forms in artistic, spiritual, political and scientific systems in the beginnings of the 20th century.

Through her work with the group 'the Five' af Klint created experimental automatic drawing as early as 1896, leading her towards an inventive geometric visual language capable of conceptualising invisible forces both of the inner and outer worlds. Quite apart from their diagrammatic purpose the paintings have a freshness and a modern aesthetic of tentative line and hastily captured image: a segmented circle, a helix bisected and divided into a spectrum of lightly painted colours. She continued prolifically to add to the body of work amounting to over 1000 pieces until 1941. She requested that it should not be shown until 20 years after the end of her life.

OUR GICLEE PRINTS:
Your print(s) will be created using archival, fade-resistant, pigment inks, heavyweight, museum-quality paper and a 12-color process fine-art printer to ensure the most vivid, detailed and long-lasting print. To prevent fading, as with all prints, please never expose them to direct sunlight. To protect your investment, we recommend that you mat and frame your prints. We offer this print matted and framed in the 16" x 20" size, and the 11" x 14" size, framed in a minimalist black matte metal frame with a white mat, and non-glare glass glazing.

SIZE INFO:
This Hilma af Klint, Alterpiece No 1 print is offered in the sizes from 8" x 10" through 16" x 20".  If you need a larger size, I can also produce this print in the following sizes:  24" x 20", 30" x 24", 40" x 30", and 50" x 40".  Just send me a message with your shipping zip code and get back to you quickly with the investment required.

BORDERS:
Our fine art paper and rolled canvas prints are carefully positioned with an approximate 1/8" white border on all sides for matting and framing adjustments. This may vary slightly based on the size of print you order and the size of the original image. If you would like a different size border, or need to know the exact border size, or a borderless print, just let me know in the "Notes To Seller" when you place your order.

GALLERY WRAPPED CANVAS PRINTS READY TO HANG WHEN THEY ARRIVE:
Our gallery wrapped canvas prints are a great solution if you want a finished print, ready to hang when it arrives on your doorstep.  We stretch our high quality canvas over high quality basswood frames and use a mirrored edge that wraps around the 1 1/2" sides of the frame.

A mirrored edge is a "mirror" or repetition of the last 1 1/2" of the image on all four sides that wraps around the sides of the frame.  If you would prefer a different treatment for the sides of your gallery wrapped canvas print, we can use just about any color or pattern, just send me a color swatch when you place your order in the "Notes to Seller" field.

We offer this print as a gallery wrapped canvas print in all of the sizes you see listed above.  It's impossible to create a listing option with the correct pricing for large gallery wrapped canvas prints as the shipping costs vary greatly depending on the print size, weight, and the distance it must travel.

Just let me know the size that interests you, along with your zip code and I’ll get back to you quickly with the investment required.

SHIPPING INFO:
I ship worldwide in one business days after receiving your payment.  

Your prints are protected with Glassine wrapping and shipped in a rigid "Do Not Bend" mailer to ensure it arrives in the same condition as when it was shipped, and for larger sizes, we ship in a sturdy cardboard tube. Your print will arrive safely, or I will replace it.

BUY WITH CONFIDENCE | REVIEWS FROM RECENT CUSTOMERS:
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"Fast shipping and very nice picture beautiful duplex! Thank you for your quick note accompanying the shipment."

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I promise to refund 100% of your money if you are not completely delighted with your purchase, for ANY reason, however, we do expect you to pay for shipping.

Please feel free to message me with any questions you may have about this Hilma af Klint, Alterpiece No 1 print.