An upcoming London exhibition opening in November will display previously unseen illustrations, sketches, and correspondence by Tove Jansson, marking 25 years since the death of the Finnish author and artist. The Moomin books about the troll family have sold up to 30 million copies worldwide since publication began in 1945.
Tove Jansson and her Families at the Quentin Blake Centre
The upcoming exhibition, titled Tove Jansson and her Families, will be staged at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. According to Sophia Jansson, the author’s niece and creative director of the Moomin Characters brand, this marks the first UK exhibition to specifically focus on Tove Jansson’s illustrations, distinguishing it from a 2017 showing at the Dulwich Picture Gallery that primarily displayed her paintings.
Visitors will view original artwork from her first published book, The Moomins and the Great Flood, along with sketches, photographs, films, and fan correspondence. According to Sophia Jansson, quoted by the Guardian, the author possessed a unique ability to address universal and personal themes disguised within the inhabitants of Moominvalley. Exhibition displays will also feature childhood booklets that a seven-year-old Jansson wrote, illustrated, and sold to her classmates, as noted by guest curator Paul Gravett.
Did you know? Tove Jansson illustrated Swedish editions of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and The Hunting of the Snark in a horror style, and reinterpreted JRR Tolkien’s Gollum as monstrously large in her illustrations for The Hobbit.
Rare Archives and Previously Unseen Sketches
Recent archival discoveries have brought forward items that even close family members had not previously viewed. According to the Guardian, these newly surfaced items include a draft cover sketch of Moominpappa at Sea depicting Moominpappa holding a giant shell. Paul Gravett noted that while this early draft differed from the final published cover, it maintained equal artistic quality.
Additional exhibits include a sketch for the artist’s pioneering daily comic strip, which launched in London’s Evening News in 1954. According to Gravett, that specific sketch survived despite being covered in coffee stains and nearly discarded in a waste paper bin before a fellow cartoonist rescued it.
Satirical Roots and Visual Art Career
Before achieving international renown for her children’s literature, Jansson worked extensively as a visual artist and political cartoonist. She served as head designer for the satirical magazine Garm during the early 1940s, producing roughly a hundred cover photos and hundreds of illustrations criticizing fascism and totalitarian regimes. Jansson once remarked that she enjoyed the work most because it allowed her to be “beastly to Hitler and Stalin,” according to the Guardian.
Her broader artistic portfolio encompassed public art, including frescoes at the Helsinki City Hall and murals at the Aurora Children’s Hospital. Her stylistic development moved from detailed combinations toward more simplistic and abstract forms, influenced heavily by her travels while maintaining a deep respect for traditional artistic values.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Tove Jansson exhibition open in London?
The exhibition opens in November at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, according to the announcement.
How many languages have the Moomin books been translated into?
The books have been translated into more than 60 languages, inspiring animated films, television series, and theme parks worldwide, according to the Guardian.
What makes this London exhibition unique?
According to Sophia Jansson, it is the first UK exhibition to focus specifically on Tove Jansson’s illustrations rather than her paintings.
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