Ulmus glabra (Wych Elm). Sheet 31 from the portfolio Nature Studies is a detailed drawing created by the pioneering Swedish artist Hilma af Klint on April 21, 1920. This precise work is executed using watercolor, pencil, and ink on paper, representing one sheet from the extensive portfolio known as Nature Studies, which comprises 46 individual drawings.
While Klint is internationally renowned for her early contributions to abstract painting and her complex series based on spiritual guidance, the Nature Studies collection reveals her concurrent dedication to rigorous natural observation. This specific drawing, classified simply as a drawing, focuses on the structure and subtle coloration of the Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra). Klint employs the delicate layering characteristic of watercolor, complemented by precise structural lines rendered in pencil and ink, creating a study that sits between scientific illustration and expressive draftsmanship. This methodical approach reflects her continuous effort to document underlying natural structures, a crucial academic counterpart to her more overtly spiritual series.
The piece offers valuable insight into Klint’s comprehensive artistic practice, emphasizing that her oeuvre encompassed detailed empirical study alongside esoteric exploration. The drawing is a later work in the artist’s career, dated precisely to April 21, 1920, underscoring its specific position within her output during a period of intense focus on natural forms and botanical studies near her home. Klint’s dedication to this type of documentation demonstrates her belief that all forms, regardless of scale, shared a unified essence. This important drawing is part of the extensive Hilma af Klint collection held by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), ensuring scholarly access to this rarely seen aspect of the artist’s prolific career. Reproductions and specialized prints of this drawing contribute to the ongoing appreciation of the Swedish artist's comprehensive legacy among modern art enthusiasts.
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