Anemone nemorosa (European Thimbleweed), Populus nigra (Lombardy Poplar), Salix caprea (Goat Willow). Sheet 3 from the portfolio Nature Studies by Hilma af Klint is a seminal drawing completed in 1919. This work is executed using watercolor, pencil, ink, and gouache on paper and comprises one element of a larger portfolio consisting of 46 distinct nature studies. The portfolio marks a significant phase in the career of the pioneering Swedish artist, reflecting her shift toward systematically investigating botanical forms after years dedicated to purely non-representational painting.
Klint executed this specific sheet between May 2–5, 1919, meticulously documenting the appearance of three distinct species: the European Thimbleweed, the Lombardy Poplar, and the Goat Willow. While the rendering style suggests scientific observation, the Nature Studies were not simple biological records. Instead, Klint utilized these forms to explore the concept that every physical manifestation in the natural world held an esoteric or spiritual correlation. This methodology aligned with the artist's lifelong commitment to Theosophy and her search for the universal hidden structures that govern existence.
The drawing showcases Klint's precise hand and technical mastery of mixed media, highlighting the detailed integration of pencil and ink lines beneath washes of watercolor and gouache. This complex application resulted in a clarity that differentiates the work from her earlier, sweeping abstractions.
As a vital component of Klint’s late output, this piece provides crucial insight into the systematic intellectual framework that underpinned her creation of abstract art. The artist believed her greatest abstract achievements should remain hidden until the world was sufficiently advanced to comprehend them, meaning the public display and study of Klint’s work, including studies such as this, occurred decades after its creation. This significant drawing is preserved today in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), affirming its status as a cornerstone of early 20th-century Modernism.
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