Robert Reinick Knihy

The most beautiful fairy tales by H.C. Andersen. The life of Hans Christian Andersen reads like a fairy tale itself—he counted Charles Dickens among his friends and admirers, and European princes valued his company. Through determination, talent, fortunate circumstances, and an overflowing imagination, he carved his name into world literature, rising from impoverished beginnings. A fairy tale realm without Andersen would be severely impoverished, lacking characters such as the Snow Queen, the Princess and the Pea, Thumbelina, and the Little Match Girl, as well as many inanimate objects that he brought to life: silver shillings and sewing needles, foremost among them his steadfast tin soldier. These motifs have inspired generations of artists. The best among them are found in this collection, featuring great names like Kay Nielsen and Arthur Rackham, the Swede Einar Nerman, and the Ukrainian avant-gardist Georgy Narbut, along with many others, including the eccentric Tom Seidmann-Freud, the legendary German silhouette artist Lotte Reiniger, and the Prague painter and designer Josef Palecek.