Hans Scherfig
Encyclopedia
Hans Scherfig was a renowned Danish
author and artist.
His most famous works of literature include Stolen Spring
, Frydenholm, Idealists, and The Scorpion, the last of which was published in over 20 countries. He is also well-known for his distinctive Naivist
lithographs which depict jungle
and savanna
scenes that owe something to Henri Rousseau
, and various drawings and paintings with satirical, political, and biblical subject matter.
Central to Scherfigs work was his life-long political engagement. Already in his early years he became a dedicated communist and remained so until his death
in 1979.
Because of this Scherfig was imprisoned by the Nazi German
military occupation
forces in Denmark
during WWII
. During the Cold War
, Scherfig intensified his critical attitude
against the USA.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
author and artist.
His most famous works of literature include Stolen Spring
Stolen Spring
The Stolen Spring is a Danish novel by Hans Scherfig, published first in 1940.The Stolen Springs main theme is the solidarity of a group of boys in a school with harsh discipline. This alongside other factors makes the book stand out as being very socialist in its message...
, Frydenholm, Idealists, and The Scorpion, the last of which was published in over 20 countries. He is also well-known for his distinctive Naivist
Naïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
lithographs which depict jungle
Jungle
A Jungle is an area of land in the tropics overgrown with dense vegetation.The word jungle originates from the Sanskrit word jangala which referred to uncultivated land. Although the Sanskrit word refers to "dry land", it has been suggested that an Anglo-Indian interpretation led to its...
and savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
scenes that owe something to Henri Rousseau
Henri Rousseau
Henri Julien Félix Rousseau was a French Post-Impressionist painter in the Naïve or Primitive manner. He was also known as Le Douanier , a humorous description of his occupation as a toll collector...
, and various drawings and paintings with satirical, political, and biblical subject matter.
Central to Scherfigs work was his life-long political engagement. Already in his early years he became a dedicated communist and remained so until his death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
in 1979.
Because of this Scherfig was imprisoned by the Nazi German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
military occupation
Military occupation
Military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. The territory then becomes occupied territory.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
forces in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
during WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Scherfig intensified his critical attitude
Attitude
-Science and engineering:* Attitude as orientation of a geometric figure, such as a line, plane or rigid body* Attitude as strike or dip of a layer of rock in geology* Attitude of a wing or aircraft relative to airflow...
against the USA.
Novels
- Den Døde Mand, 1937
- Den forsvundne fuldmægtig, 1938
- Det Forsømte ForårStolen SpringThe Stolen Spring is a Danish novel by Hans Scherfig, published first in 1940.The Stolen Springs main theme is the solidarity of a group of boys in a school with harsh discipline. This alongside other factors makes the book stand out as being very socialist in its message...
(Stolen Spring), 1940 - Idealister (Idealists), 1945
- Skorpionen (The Scorpion), 1953
- Frydenholm, 1962
- Den Fortabte Abe, 1964