Viktor Jansson

Viktor Jansson
Born	Viktor Bernhard Jansson 1 March 1886 Helsinki, Russian Empire
Died	22 June 1958 Helsinki, Finland
Nationality	Finnish
Occupation	Sculptor
Spouse	Signe Hammarsten
Children	Tove Jansson Per Olov Jansson Lars Jansson
Relatives	Sophia Jansson (granddaughter)

Viktor Bernhard "Faffan" Jansson (1 March 1886 in

Early life

Jansson was born in Helsinki in 1886 to Julius Viktor Jansson and Johanna Theresia (Karlsson). His father worked at the Stockmann department store, later owning a haberdashery store. His father died when Jansson was six.^[1]

He married the illustrator Signe Hammarsten-Jansson and they had three children: the writer Tove Jansson, photographer Per Olov Jansson, and Lars Jansson, an author and comic strip artist.

Starting from 1929 Viktor Jansson created several drafts for sculptures picturing young women, one of which is called Convolvulus. The other sculpture from the same series named Youth (Nuoruus) is situated in Hämeenlinna. These two sculptures are united by attempt to create images of excellence and clarity through a somehow abstract form.

He studied at Läroverket för gossar och flickor.

Works

• Lahden vapaudenpatsas (the statue of liberty of Lahti), 1920
• Tampereen vapaudenpatsas (the statue of liberty of Tampere), 1920
• Kajastus, 1930 (situated in Tampere, Sorsapuisto park)
• Convolvulus, 1931 (situated in
  Hietaniemi cemetery
  .
• Nuoruus (Youth), 1931 (situated in Hämeenlinna center in Kirjaston puisto) is of bronze, measuring 177 × 50 × 47,5 cm, on a base of grey granite 71 × 50,5 × 58,5 cm

The model for Kajastus, Convolvulus and Nuoruus was Tove Jansson, the daughter of the sculptor.

References