was founded on 7 February 1885 on the premises of the at Jakobsbergsgatan 11 in
Stockholm. Its founders were
Calla Curman,
Hanna Winge,
Ellen Fries,
Ellen Key and
Amelie Wikström. The first fifteen women elected to the association's committee were
Alfhild Agrell,
Lilly Engström,
Selma Giöbel,
Therese Gyldén,
Anna Höjer,
Amanda Kerfstedt,
Anne Charlotte Leffler,
Hulda Lundin,
Agda Montelius,
Anna Munthe-Norstedt,
Mathilda Roos,
Anna Sandström,
Hilma Svedbom,
Anna Whitlock, and
Coraly Zethræus. The association's model was
Sällskapet Idun in Stockholm, founded in 1862, which, according to its statutes, was for "men living in Stockholm who have their own activities and interests in science, literature and art in various fields". accepted only male members, and was formed to serve as a counterpart for women. On the founding of the organization, Calla Curman wrote, "Why shouldn't we women too, regardless of our different political and religious views, be able to come together for a mutual exchange of ideas in common intellectual, artistic and literary interests?" The association met once a month, with art exhibitions and musical and literary lectures. Its first meeting was attended by 20 people. On that occasion, author Anne Charlotte Edgren-Leffler gave a lecture on, among other things, the
Victorian dress reform movement abroad, which led to the founding of the
Swedish Dress Reform Association the following year. The association still exists for women academics and artists of various kinds. == Women's journals ==