The first openly lesbien public figures in Finland

Tove Jansson (1914 - 2001) Daughter of sculptor Viktor Jansson and illustrator Signe Hammarsten-Jansson, writer, illustrator, painter and world-renowned creator of "The Moomins," Marika Tove Jansson was born on August 9, 1914 in a Swedish community in Helsinki, Finland. He studied at the Stockholm Art School between 1930 and 1933; in the Finnish School of Graphic Art Academy between 1933 and 1937 and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris in 1938. Jansson was Finnish nationality, but his mother tongue was the Swedish therefore all his books are originally written in this language. Although it is best known as a writer, Jansson felt that their careers as a painter and writer were equally important. His first painting exhibition was in 1943, and was quickly considered one of the promising young artists Finns. Among the decades of 1940 and 1950 made a large number of frescoes and murals for public buildings such as city halls, schools and hospitals. Pintó throughout their lives, from classic impressionist style of his youth to abstract modernism of his later years. Toons doing illustrations and worked for the magazine of satire Finnish-Swedish Garm since the decade of 1930 to 1953. One of his political cartoons that won international fame starring Adolf Hitler was crying in its infancy. Moreover did illustrations for Swedish translations of classics such as The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien and Alicia in the Land of Wonders, Lewis Carroll. Jansson wrote his first book of The Moomins during World War II. The war had marked the lot, and I wanted to write something naive and innocent. This book, entitled "Småtrollen flooding in the big" or "small trolls and the great flood" was published in 1945 and went almost unnoticed, but with the second and third in 1946 and 1948 became famous. Besides novels and short stories, Jansson made three picture books and worked to make cartoons of the Moomins for a London newspaper, first alone and then with the help of his brother Lars. Eventually, Jansson leaves of doing comics because she does not give sufficient time to write and paint, but his brother dibujándolas continued until 1975. Of the animated versions have been made to The Moomins, the most popular was the beginning of the 1990's, a series of 78 chapters by Telescreen Benelux and YLE TV Tokyo. The address was given by Hiroshi Saito and Masayuki Ojima, supervised by Tove Jansson, Lars. This number increased substantially the popularity of the characters and the sale of all kinds of related products, especially in Japan. Although Jansson was briefly compromised when he was about twenty years old, never married or had children. After some relationships with other women in the 1960's who would be settled with her partner for life, the graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä.
Jansson and Pietilä were among the first public figures openly lesbian in Finland. Although Jansson tending his privacy, is not trying to hide his relationship with Pietilä, going to public events such as the exclusive Dance Independence Day at the Presidential Palace with her and her partner. Among the awards he won Jannson are the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1966 for his contributions to children's literature, the Academy Award Switzerland in 1972; Topelius Prize in 1978; Prize for Literature Finnish state in 1963, 1971 and 1982; Prize Helsinki in 1980 and the title of Honorary Professor in 1995. Tove Jansson died in Helsinki on June 27, 2001, to 86 years. The Moomin Books, translated into 33 languages, are among the most widely translated works of literature Finnish. The museum in Tampere Moomin Valley exhibits much of Jansson on the Moomins. There is also a theme park called Moomin World in Naantali. Both are big tourist attractions in Finland. The rights of The Moomins have been in the hands of Sophia Jansson, daughter of Tove's brother, Lars. With the intention of keeping the rights in the hands of the family, Sophia has rejected the offers made by the Walt Disney Company.

Fuente: Cultura Lesbiana