Hilma af Klint: The Ten Largest No. 5, Adulthood (1907)

A colourful abstract art poster featuring Hilma af Klint’s The Ten Largest No. 5, Adulthood from 1907. Floating flowers, curved forms and delicate symbols unfold across a rich purple background in the first painting devoted to adult life.

Printed locally on heavyweight matte paper, as close to you as possible. Typical delivery time: 2–5 business days.

• Abstract artwork by Hilma af Klint
• Created in 1907 as part of The Ten Largest
• The first of four paintings representing adulthood
• Purple background with pink, blue, yellow and white forms
• Rich in floral and spiritual symbolism
• Printed on 200 gsm premium matte paper
• Available in four sizes
• Frame not included

Adulthood begins on a purple ground

The Ten Largest No. 5 opens the section of Hilma af Klint’s monumental series devoted to adulthood. The bright backgrounds of childhood and youth give way to a deep purple field filled with layered shapes, letters and plant-like forms.

A large pink flower rises near the top of the composition. Below it, pale curves and coloured areas appear to grow, divide and connect. The painting suggests a mature stage of life in which physical existence and spiritual development are closely intertwined.

The five-petalled flower

The upper pink flower has five petals. In one of af Klint’s sketchbooks from 1907, the names of the members of De Fem, or The Five, appear inside the same type of flower.

Moderna Museet explains that the petals may represent earth, fire, air and water together with a fifth element known as quintessence. In alchemical thought, quintessence was associated with the concentrated essence of existence and with the philosopher’s stone.

“The pink flower that is uppermost in the first of these paintings has five petals.”

Hilma af Klint and The Five

De Fem was a circle of five women that included Hilma af Klint. They met regularly around the turn of the twentieth century and explored spiritual ideas through séances, collective experiments and automatic drawing.

The flower in No. 5 creates a link between this shared work and af Klint’s later artistic language. Its meaning remains open, but the five petals connect the painting with both the group and the idea of a fifth spiritual element.

Part of The Ten Largest

Hilma af Klint created the ten paintings in this series over approximately forty days in the autumn of 1907. Each work measures more than three metres in height and represents a stage in the human life cycle.

Nos. 1 and 2 depict childhood, Nos. 3 and 4 youth, Nos. 5–8 adulthood, and Nos. 9 and 10 old age. The series belongs to The Paintings for the Temple, the extensive body of work af Klint produced between 1906 and 1915.

About Hilma af Klint

Hilma af Klint was born in Stockholm in 1862 and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Alongside conventional portraits and botanical studies, she developed an abstract visual language based on colour, geometry, natural forms and spiritual symbolism.

She asked that much of her abstract work should remain unseen for twenty years after her death. Today, her large-scale paintings are recognised as a remarkable contribution to the development of modern abstract art.

Artwork details

Available sizes

Deep colour for a modern interior

The purple background gives this poster a warm and distinctive presence. Pink floral forms and pale organic lines add softness, making the artwork suitable for a living room, bedroom or creative workspace.

Explore more visionary works in our collection of Swedish art.

Frequently asked questions

What does The Ten Largest No. 5 represent?

The painting represents adulthood. It is the first of four works in The Ten Largest devoted to this stage of life.

What does the five-petalled flower mean?

The flower may refer to Hilma af Klint’s group De Fem and to the four classical elements plus quintessence. Its precise meaning remains open to interpretation.

When was the original artwork created?

Hilma af Klint created the painting in 1907 as part of The Ten Largest.

How large is the original painting?

The original measures approximately 328 × 240 cm and was made with tempera on paper mounted on canvas.

What paper is the poster printed on?

The poster is printed on heavyweight 200 gsm matte paper with a smooth, non-reflective surface.

Is a frame included?

No. The frame is not included, allowing you to choose one that suits the poster and your interior.