Henry Darger

Henry Darger
Darger in 1971[1]
Born
Henry Joseph Darger Jr.

(1892-04-12)April 12, 1892
DiedApril 13, 1973(1973-04-13) (aged 81)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Resting placeAll Saints Cemetery
Known forPainting, collage, novel, pencil and pen drawing, sketching
Notable workIn the Realms of the Unreal
The History of My Life
Crazy House: Further Adventures in Chicago
MovementOutsider art

Henry Joseph Darger Jr. (/ˈdɑːrɡər/ DAR-ghər; April 12, 1892 – April 13, 1973) was an American writer, novelist and artist who worked as a hospital custodian in Chicago, Illinois.[1] He has become famous for his posthumously recovered 15,145-page manuscript for a fantasy novel titled The Story of the Vivian Girls,[a] along with several hundred drawings and watercolor illustrations for the story[2] and two further works of literature.

The visual subject matter of his work ranges from idyllic scenes in Edwardian interiors and tranquil flowered landscapes populated by children and fantastic creatures, to scenes of horrific terror and carnage depicting young children being tortured and massacred.[3]: 106  Much of his artwork is mixed media with collage elements. Darger's artwork has become one of the most celebrated examples of outsider art.

  1. ^ a b "In the Realms of the Unreal". PBS. August 2, 2005. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  2. ^ Polanski, G. Jurek (October 11, 2000). "Henry Darger: Realms of the Unreal". ArtScope.net. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  3. ^ Maizels, John (2009). Outsider Art Sourcebook: Art Brut, Folk Art, Outsider Art. UK: Raw Vision. ISBN 9780954339326.


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