Episode 22: Our Lady of Allegorical Diagrams - Hilma af Klint - Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan,1915
If you haven’t yet or are in need of a refresher, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND you listen to Episode 14 first here :)
We are back (!) and in this episode, we pick up where we left off with Hilma af Klint in Episode 14 to discuss her life between 1908-1915, specifically to address the infamous studio visit with Rudolf Steiner that commonly paints him as a ruthless, confidence-crushing villain and Hilma as the victim - which is far from the truth.
We also dive deep into the symbolism (NOT written about anywhere else) of the often overlooked epic, stunning series that is The Swan (ALL 24 PAINTINGS).
This episode is not anything you have heard before regarding Hilma af Klint’s life: we discuss her point of view as an artist (being artists ourselves) and what likely went down during this post-Steiner studio visit, 7-year period.
Join us as we delve into the awesome, mind-bending complexities of the series which further proves her badass skills and versatility as a modern painter expressing her Theosophistic spirituality. In the end, we discovered this group of works reveals a surprising and empowering message for herself and for all of us.
Topics include country singer Faith Hill’s kiss, tender hearts in blenders, star-shaped gasses, psychedelic jawbreakers, and so much more.
There is no Art Pantry this week as this is a ginormous episode.
Be sure to listen to all the cuts that didn’t make it into the episode on our Patreon.
The featured music today was “Startup Nation” by Anonymous420 by way of Rrrrrose of Loyalty Freak Music. Their music is amazing! GO PICK UP SOME OF THEIR ALBUMS here.
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T a b l e o f C o n t e n t :
- photograph portrait of Hilma af Klint
- photograph portrait of Rudolf Steiner
- Allegorical painting
- Overview jpeg of all of the swan in sequential order (v necessary)
- Images of the works (1-24) in order of discussion along w/ reference images
- Spoilers pertaining to No. 24
ENJOY! <3
Hilma af Klint c. 1910 during her hiatus.
Rudolf Steiner, German prominent spiritual teacher/clairvoyant from the Theosophical Society until 1912 when he established Anthroposophy in 1913.
Example of an allegorical Renaissance painting: Sandro Boticelli, Primavera, c. 1480. Oil on canvas. 81.5” x 126” (207cm x 319cm).
THE SWAN
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 1, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Depiction of a Swan Maiden without her Swanskin.
Lord Brahmā and Goddess Sarasvatī seated upon their vāhana (vehicle) the haṃsa (swan). Album of Drawings of Hindu Deities, early 19th century, watercolor on paper.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 2, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 3, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 4, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 5, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 6, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 7, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 8, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 9, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 10, 1915. Oil on canvas.
An image from the Baltic Exhibition of 1914 in Malmo, Sweden in which Hilma participated and was also where Wassily Kandinsky exhibited some of his fully abstract works (pictured).
Wassily Kandinsky’s first abstract work: Untitled (First Abstract Watercolor), 1910. 25.5” x 19.5” (64.8cm x 49.6).
Georgiana Houghton, Glory be to God, front, July 5, 1864, watercolor, gouache on paper laid on board with pen, ink inscription on verso. 9.33” x 12.83” (23.7 x 32.6 cm).
Early abstraction: ostrich shell etchings dating back 60,000 years from South Africa
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 11, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Plate from Occult Chemistry; Clairvoyant Observations on the
Chemical Elements by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, originally published in 1908.
Plate from Occult Chemistry; Clairvoyant Observations on the
Chemical Elements by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, originally published in 1908.
Plate from Occult Chemistry; Clairvoyant Observations on the
Chemical Elements by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, originally published in 1908.
Plate from Occult Chemistry; Clairvoyant Observations on the
Chemical Elements by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, originally published in 1908.
Plate from Occult Chemistry; Clairvoyant Observations on the
Chemical Elements by Annie Besant and Charles W. Leadbeater, originally published in 1908.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 12, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 13, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 14, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 15, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 16, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 17, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 18, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 19, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 20, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 21, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 22, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 23, 1915. Oil on canvas.
S P O I L E R S B E L O W
Hilma’s The Swan No. 23 compared to the Tree of Life
Overlay: Hilma’s The Swan No. 23 & the Tree of Life
Hilma af Klint, Tree of Knowledge, No. 1, watercolor and pencil on paper. 1913.
A Tree of Life version in Hebrew
A version of The Tree of Life in the anime Neon Genesis Envangelion (1995).
Hilma af Klint, Serie SUW/UW, Grupp IX/SUW, The Swan, No. 24, 1915. Oil on canvas.
Charts and diagrams from the Theosophical Society:
rude. Works from The Swan exhibited out of order @ the Guggenehim.
