Art in Nature by Tove Jansson
It’s been a little while since I read any of Tove Jansson’s wonderful prose, but I noticed the other day I still have two unread books on Mount TBR – “The True Deceiver” and this collection of short stories, “Art in Nature”. And as I’ve done fairly well with short stories recently, I picked up the latter.
Jansson seemed to be fond of the short story format, as she published several collections during her lifetime. The first I read was “The Winter Book” which is actually a compilation from the earlier books, but “Art In Nature” was originally published in 1978 under the title “The Dollhouse and Other Stories”, and translated in 2012. Once again we are in the safe hands of the excellent Thomas Teal, who’s brought us so many of Jansson’s works rendered for Anglophone readers, and this is a really wonderful collection.
There are 11 stories in the book, and I’m not going to cover each individual one; instead I’ll pick out themes, or the stories that impacted on me most. Jansson’s writing is, as always, simple but evocative, capturing the subtle human emotions portrayed here and giving a strong sense of place. Art and artists are, of course, a common theme, and we see them in all the differing types you can get: a sculptor with a pet monkey; contemporary art for the outdoors; an actress struggling with a part. But there are darker sides to art shown here, particularly in two of the stories; “The Locomotive” is a strange, ambiguous little tale of a train obsessive who finds an outlet for his emotions by drawing the locomotives of the title, and who strikes up a tenuous and rather odd relationship with a woman he meets at the station; and “The Cartoonist” tells of an illustrator taken on to produce a long running cartoon strip because the original creator has had a kind of breakdown, and the effect this has on his own sanity. I did wonder if the latter reflected Jansson’s slightly ambiguous feelings about her own creations, the Moomins.
But the effects of art become even darker in the original title story of the collection, “The Doll’s House”. Here, a retired upholsterer begins to construct a doll’s house out of boredom; the act of creation becomes an obsession and it takes over his flat and threatens his relationship with his partner, particularly when he brings another person in to help him with certain aspects of the building.
Not all of the stories are about artists however; another regular theme is that of ageing. “White Lady” shows us three sexagenarian ladies on a night out, contrasting their differing attitudes to life and the young; and “A Sense of Time” plays with our perceptions, giving us a pair of unreliable narrators (a young man and his grandmother) and leaving us uncertain about which of them has the strongest grasp on reality.
I could go on and on, but the more I read her the more I realise that Jansson was a consummate writer who could turn her pen to any number of subjects and capture their peculiarities brilliantly. Her writing is subtle – she never hits you in the face with what she’s saying, instead leaving you to draw out the meaning of the story, and I could happily read her every day. As it is, I only have a couple of unread Toves left (the aforementioned “True Deceiver” and “The Listener” which I’ve yet to get a copy of) so I need to ration her work so I don’t finish it too soon…
Jul 04, 2016 @ 07:22:40
Ah, I haven’t read this collection, so that’s something to seek out and enjoy. Like you, I could happily read Jansson every day…
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:42:45
It’s a good one – definitely worth tracking down!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 07:33:04
What a beautiful cover! It seems perfect for both the theme of this collection and the subtlety of Jansson’s style. She strikes me as being a good choice for the current times, a writer you know you can rely on.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:42:28
Indeed – her work is always readable and always satisfying. I just to ration the remaining books I haven’t read!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 07:58:37
Beautiful review! I sadly have no new Toves left to read, but you’ve inspired me to add a few to my re-reading stack.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:41:56
Thank you! I think she would definitely warrant re-reading!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 08:07:37
This was an interesting collection I thought showed how adept Jansson was at creating characters. True Deceiver I thought was an excellent novel and one that stayed with me that provokes the readers imagination, wondering how much of it was inspired by her own experiences.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:43:55
I’m looking forward to True Deceiver very much – and I do often find myself wondering how much of Jansson’s life is in her fictions!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 08:57:14
Wonderful review Karen, you’ve captured the genius of Tove Jansson so well. I know what you mean about rationing her work. I will read this, but maybe not just yet so I can enjoy the anticipation for just a little longer!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:33:01
Thanks Sarah. I do love her writing and I need to eke out the last few books!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 10:36:37
I didn’t love the one I read by her, unfortunately (one about inhabitants of an old people’s home in St. Petersburg, Florida, though I appear to remember its location really well!). I am annoyed by this, as lots of people whose reading tastes mine overlap with love her!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:32:33
I think the one you’ve read is the only one not currently reprinted and freshly translated – and it does sound out of keeping with the rest of her stuff. I have a spare copy of True Deceiver if you’d like me to send it your way so you can have another try…. 🙂
Jul 05, 2016 @ 08:10:50
Oh, that would be lovely (oops, I have something to post to you, still!) thank you !
Jul 05, 2016 @ 11:19:47
No probs – if you’re still at the same address I had in March 2015 I will get this off to you soon! 🙂
Jul 04, 2016 @ 11:03:38
Sounds wonderful, and I love the cover 🙂 I know exactly what you mean about rationing, it will be sad day when I’ve read all she’s done!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:29:33
I’ll do my best to make them last!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 11:48:19
You make the collection sound compelling if distressing at times. She delves emotional lives in depth. I had not heard of her before, and looked her up on wikipedia after I read this blog. Thanks for telling us (me) about this author and painter and illustrator. The films about her times with her partner seem to me might be comforting, inspiring.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:29:21
She’s a fascinating woman, and she really gets inside the artistic mind. I imagine she drew on her own life quite a lot.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 12:21:39
Oh dear I still haven’t read any Tove Jansson including the book you sent me. Glad to hear the short stories are so good. Really like the sound of White Lady.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 14:28:52
They’re great – she’s such a good writer. Maybe you’ll get to encounter her over the summer! 🙂
Jul 04, 2016 @ 18:33:49
I’m very tempted by this (and ‘The Winter Book’). Actually I have quite a pile of Finnish literature building up, and I’m planning on a bit of a winter reading project around it … partly because by then I may have worked though enough other books to get to these ones …
Jul 04, 2016 @ 20:43:47
Her stuff is very readable, and deceptively light – a Finnish winter project sounds good!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 19:06:54
An excellent reminder that I have a book of her short stories waiting to be read! Not yet read any of her fiction apart for the Moomin stories which I loved as a child.
Jul 04, 2016 @ 20:44:53
Excellent – her prose is lovely and the stories are deceptively simple (much like the Moomins!) Hope you enjoy!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 19:58:31
I did enjoy The True Deceiver. I really want some more time to do some reading and posting!! In hope, I have just ordered Art in Nature. Besides anything else, what an elegant name for a book!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 20:41:39
It’s a lovely title for an excellent book – hope you enjoy her short stories!
Jul 04, 2016 @ 21:52:51
Oh, I’ve noticed that a copy of The True Deceiver is at my local library. I have some story collections on my kindle as well—but haven’t read any yet. I’d like to read some soon.
Jul 05, 2016 @ 11:30:13
Definitely worth tracking her down – get down to that library! 🙂
Jul 05, 2016 @ 01:49:35
Lovely review! I still haven’t read her, but your blog has inspired me to download one of her ebooks and let’s hope I read it one of these days.
Jul 05, 2016 @ 11:22:36
Hope you enjoy it Kat – I love her writing!
Jul 05, 2016 @ 01:55:24
Kindred spirits in our love for Tove Jansson! Thnak you for this wonderful post! Xo Johanna
Jul 05, 2016 @ 11:20:00
Welcome Johanna! I do love Tove’s work!
Jul 05, 2016 @ 12:43:17
As always, an enticing review. Art, obsession and ageing is right up my street, so I’ll be hunting this one down very soon. I read ‘The True Deceiver’ a couple of months back. Curious and fascinating. I couldn’t quite pin it down, but maybe that’s the idea. You will love it!
Jul 05, 2016 @ 13:47:56
That’s good to know – I think Tove is so interesting when writing about artists, obviously a subject she knows well. I may well pick up “True Deceiver” soon!
Jul 05, 2016 @ 12:49:00
I haven’t read Tove Jansson for ages, I think it might be time, and I think my library has this one in stock ….
Jul 05, 2016 @ 13:40:57
Excellent! You can never have enough Tove in my view.
Jul 09, 2016 @ 07:14:16
Thankyou for bringing this to our attention. I had stopped at The Moomins and The Summer Book, so now I am enthused to read more of her writing.
I think The Summer Book is also a series of short stories, although not described as such.
Caroline
Jul 09, 2016 @ 08:59:38
Good point, Caroline – her writing for adults does seem very episodic even when it’s purportedly full length – many she was happier with the shorter form. I’ll be interested to see what I make of True Deceiver.
Jul 09, 2016 @ 22:34:44
Lovely review! Ah, good old Jansson. The Cartoonist is such an interesting story – and, when you do get to The True Deceiver, it makes for interesting comparison with Anna.
Jul 09, 2016 @ 23:06:09
If I wasn’t embroiled in Dostoevsky I might well be reading True Deceiver…😀