We went to see Hans Christian Andersen's house the other day. That's right the house that the famous writer was born in. I got to learn a lot of interesting things about him. For instance, he wrote a good many novels and that is what he wanted to be known for, not his fairytales. He also didn't start writing his fairytales until he was already famous and had produced a lot of novels. He was a lucky man in that he was famous in his own time. He never married but fell in love with three different women throughout his life. They, unfortunately, did not feel the same.
The house that he was born in is an interesting place for his museum because he never wished to be associated with that house. It was in the poor section of town and he did not live there long. When his family was there, there were four other families in the house as well. It is not a big house by any means either, quite small in fact.
He made his way through the world by depending on others. When he was young he auditioned for many theatres and a couple people saw potential and took him under their wing to train him and provide for him. When he became older he stayed with his rich friends and paid his friends by entertaining their children with his paper cutouts and stories, not his fairytales have little to do with his cutouts though. He traveled quite a bit throughout all of Europe and led a good life. Unfortunately, his dream to be married and have children was never fulfilled.
This is a timeline of the happenings of the world throughout his lifetime. And yes, that is Abraham Lincoln in there =)
The Little Match Girl
A letter from a Danish king
A painting by a Danish artist
A life size statue. He was quite tall for his time. Most men were about 5'3" (160cm) and he was 6'0" (185cm).
Thumbelina
Some of his paper cutouts and in the right bottom corner is a julehjerte or Christmas heart, very Danish.
Picture of the house around 1805, when he was born.
His passport, this is much bigger than a normal sized piece of paper!
A cute painting of one of his friend's houses where he spent a few years.
These next pictures are of the house and what they believe the furniture looked like.
People were very short indeed
His father was a shoemaker
The room he was born in
These are some of his belongings.
Manuscripts for some of his first fairytales, The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Clothes.
The Tin Soldier
The Ugly Duckling
He made this paper doll of, and for, Jenny Lind, the last love of his life.
Andersen hus (house)
"I can't believe I'm sitting next to you!"
I like the pattern of the street
