Alnus glutinosa (European Alder). Sheet 30 from the portfolio Nature Studies

Alnus glutinosa (European Alder). Sheet 30 from the portfolio Nature Studies is a detailed natural study executed by the pioneering Swedish artist Hilma af Klint in 1920. This precise work, classified as a drawing, utilizes watercolor, pencil, and ink on paper, distinguishing it from her better-known abstract canvases. It is one of 46 individual sheets compiled into the Nature Studies portfolio, a concentrated body of work created by Klint between April 8–10, 1920, and intended to systematize her scientific and spiritual understanding of the natural world.

The piece focuses on the morphology of the European Alder, rendered with the meticulous care of a scientific illustrator. Klint used pencil to establish the foundational structure of the tree’s branching pattern, contrasting the sharp graphite lines with delicate washes of watercolor that suggest the faint color and texture of the bark and nascent spring foliage. The integration of ink adds definition and precision, reflecting the artist’s commitment to observation. These botanical drawings reveal the underlying discipline that informed Klint’s esoteric and abstract visual language, demonstrating that her spiritual pursuits were grounded in rigorous engagement with terrestrial forms.

This specific portfolio represents Klint’s ongoing exploration of the interconnectedness between microcosm and macrocosm, moving beyond strictly abstract forms to integrate objective realism. Her lifelong interest in Theosophy and Rudolph Steiner’s anthroposophy often prompted her to use botany as a means of accessing the invisible order of nature. As a crucial example of Klint’s later career output, which merges observational drawing techniques with conceptual rigor, the work provides essential context for understanding the full scope of her revolutionary practice. This significant Swedish drawing is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).