Tove Marika Jansson (born August 9, 1914 in Helsinki – died June 27, 2001 in Helsinki) was a Finnish author, painter, illustrator, and comic artist of Swedish-speaking heritage. She is best known as the creator and illustrator of the Moomin books for children, which have been translated into more than 30 languages. Jansson also authored fiction for adults, created visual art (including paintings and murals), and illustrated works by other authors.
Tove came from an artistic family. Her father, Viktor Jansson (1886–1958), was a sculptor, and her mother, Signe Hammarsten-Jansson (1882–1970), was a graphic artist and illustrator. From an early age, Tove loved to draw, and her parents encouraged her to become an artist.
In 1928, her illustrations began appearing in various magazines, and in 1929, a seven-part picture story about two lovestruck larvae, Prickina’s and Fabian’s Adventures, was published in the children’s newspaper Lunkentus. She was a regular contributor to the satirical magazine Garm, where from 1929 to 1953, she published over 500 caricatures and more than 100 cover illustrations. It was in Garm, in the early 1940s, that Moomin-like creatures first appeared—Jansson initially called them “Snorks.”
At 15, she moved to Sweden to live with her mother’s family. From 1930 to 1933, she studied art at Tekniska skolan (now Konstfack) in Stockholm. She later studied at the Drawing School of the Ateneum in Helsinki (1933–1937) and then at the École d’Adrien Holy and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1938. During the 1930s, she traveled several times to Germany, Italy, and France. She participated in exhibitions, including a 1937 show at the Artists’ Guild in Helsinki, and by the late 1930s she was recognized as a leading young Finnish artist.
Between 1934 and 1940, she wrote and illustrated short stories published in magazines and Christmas annuals. She lived with her family until the age of 28.
Her first solo exhibition took place in 1943 at a gallery in Helsinki owned by art dealer Leonard Bäcksbacka. A follow-up exhibition in 1946 was a commercial success.
In spring 1944, Jansson moved into a studio on Ullanlinnankatu Street in Helsinki, where she lived and worked for 57 years, until her death.
The first book in the Moomin series, The Moomins and the Great Flood, was published in 1945 in both Helsinki and Stockholm. It received little attention at first, but her next two books—Comet in Moominland (1946) and especially Finn Family Moomintroll (1948)—earned her significant recognition in both Finland and Sweden.
From 1947 to 1948, Jansson published the first Moomin comic strip, Moomin and the End of the World, in the magazine Ny Tid. From 1954 to 1959, she created a long-running Moomin comic strip for The London Evening News.
Despite her growing success as a writer, Jansson continued to see herself primarily as a painter. Her style evolved over time, incorporating both abstract and figurative elements.
Over the following decades, more Moomin books were published, securing her international popularity. The nine-book series concluded with Moominvalley in November in 1970. After 1968, Jansson increasingly focused on writing for adults, creating intimate novels and short stories exploring human relationships.
Her Moomin stories gained popularity for their distinctive tone, direct and humorous language, avoidance of moralizing, and evocative illustrations—all created by Jansson herself. They appeal to both children and adults, maintaining a careful balance between the child’s and adult’s perspectives.
Jansson was also a respected illustrator of works by other authors, including The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. She was known for her self-portraits and caricatures as well.
In 1955, she met Tuulikki Pietilä, a graphic artist who became her lifelong partner. Pietilä also contributed illustrations to Jansson’s books and served as the inspiration for the character Too-ticky in Moominland Midwinter and Tales from Moominvalley.
The Order of the Smile is a unique international award given by children since 1968. On December 2, 1976, at the Embassy of the Polish People’s Republic in Helsinki, Tove Jansson received the award (granted in 1975) from Chancellor Cezary Leżeński, along with certificate number 133. Tradition dictates that recipients must drink a glass of sour lemon juice and smile during the award ceremony.
