Charmion Von Wiegand was a key player in the mid-19th century art world in America. Her works were influenced by other abstract artists during the time such as Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, and Hans Richter. She was also inspired by the writings of Russian occultist and philosopher Madame Helene Blavatsky. Von Wiegand was known as an artist, journalist, art critic and curator, and traveled worldwide in pursuit of her interests.

Hieroglyph was completed when Von Wiegand was branching out from other abstract artists. Like the works of many other abstract artists of the time, Charmion Von Wiegand’s early work typically featured rectilinear shapes with horizontal and vertical lines and primary colors. After the death of fellow abstract painter Piet Mondrian and Von Wiegand’s ever increasing interest in Eastern religion, her works began to feature more curvilinear shapes, downward geometric triangles, and lotus leaves like the ones seen in Hieroglyph.