Hans Christian Andersen | Paper cut of a figure in woodland

Hans Christian Andersen

Paper cut depicting a figure in broad-rimmed hat, holding a cane, set within a wooded glade

77 x 84mm., paper cut on white paper, framed and glazed, slightly soiled in margins

Hans Christian Andersen, although best known for his literary works and fairy tales, was a passionate advocate of the humble, yet often intricate and magical paper cut, using them in his performance as a story teller. This example evokes the world of fairy tales: it depicts a smiling round-headed figure within a woodland glade. A goblin, perhaps, or another trickster figure of myth; or maybe even an image of the author himself, who is typically represented with a cane and top hat.

Andersen was taught to cut by his father, a cobbler, who made paper cuts, toy theatres and puppets for his son, skills Andersen himself replicated. As an adult he was rarely without his extra-long scissors protruding from his pockets.

There exist today about 1000 paper cuts of all sizes, many in the albums he compiled for young friends, and most in institutional collections. Sometimes simple primitive figures, others complex ornamental scenes, often the same characters such as a mermaid, pierrot and jester would re-appear, all reflecting his frenetically creative mind. His urge to “cut and paste” was as strong as that to write. Andersen would entertain children of friends and colleagues by telling them one of his stories while simultaneously folding paper once or twice, cutting and twisting the paper, concluding the story at the same time as the paper cut was complete – not illustrating his tale but rather another element of his fantastical mind. “Fra Andersens saks springer eventyr straks (From Andersen’s scissors fairy-tales instantly spring)” he once wrote to a young friend. This side of Andersen was in complete contrast to the more formal man who gave serious readings to the parents of these children at which he would never entertain childish disruption.

Hans Christian Andersen's paper cuts rarely appear on the market. This paper cut was executed on February 9 1866 by Andersen for the children of his Dutch translator, C.J.N. Nieuwenhuis. In that month Andersen was in Amsterdam to visit Nieuwenhuis who introduced him to various fellow literary acquaintances. He was invited to dinner that evening, later noting in his diary: "... tarvelig Middag hos Niewenhuis; ingen af Børnene kunde andet end Hollandsk; jeg klippede Figurer til dem ... " (“... poor dinner at Nieuwenhuis’s; none of the children spoke anything but Dutch; I made paper cuts for them...”)

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S PAPER CUTS RARELY APPEAR ON THE MARKET. The majority of paper cuts attributed to Hans Andersen, with proof of provenance, are in institutional collections.

PROVENANCE:

Hans Christian Andersen, cut for the children of C.J.N. Nieuwenhuis, thence by descent through the family