Dukkehuset

'That there can still be as-yet untranslated fiction by Jansson is simultaneously an aberration and a delight, like finding buried treasure.' - Ali Smith

In Art in Nature, the first story in this darkly acute collection, an elderly caretaker at an outdoor exhibition interrupts a couple arguing about a piece of contemporary art. He reconciles them to the work with a surprising idea. In The Locomotive, a draughtsman's obsession with drawing trains provides a macabre twist to a love story. The Cartoonist finds a young man taking over the drawing of a famous comic strip after the original artist suffers a breakdown... only to discover that his own sanity is in danger.
In these witty, often disquieting stories, Tove Jansson reveals the fault-lines in our relationship with art, both as artists and viewers. Obsession, ambition, and the discouragement of critics are all brought into focus in these wise and cautionary tales.