Anna Cassel - The Saga of the Rose

Anna Cassel (1860–1937)

The artist Anna Cassel left a fairly modest impression in the history of art. Her work was dominated by magnificent landscapes and cityscapes. But she was a close friend and collaborated both spiritually and artistically with Hilma af Klint. Both women were members of the spiritualist group The Five, who were active from 1897 to 1907.

The book Anna Cassel: The Saga of the Rose sheds new light on Cassel and her influence on early abstract art. Nearly a century after Anna Cassel’s death, we now have access for the first time to the large number of occult and spiritual paintings she produced.

Cassel is introduced to a wider audience in two essays, and it is clear that the collaboration between her and Hilma af Klint was much deeper than we were previous aware of.

Anna Cassel was an important artist in her own right and played a significant role in the development of early abstract art, which this book demonstrates. Her collaboration with Hilma af Klint is only one aspect of her fascinating artistry, which needs further research, says Daniel Birnbaum.