Joel Pettersson
Encyclopedia
Joel Pettersson was a painter
and writer
on the Åland Islands, Finland
. He remained an obscure figure during his lifetime; most of his works were unpublished for decades after his death.
, Åland. His parents were elderly peasants, Joel's father being well over 50 at the time of Joel's birth. Joel had a younger brother Karl, who died at sea in 1916.
Pettersson began writing and painting in his early school years, though much of his works from this period were not preserved.
In 1913, he had the opportunity to study at a drawing school in Turku
. He stayed in Turku until 1915, when he decided to abort his studies and return to Åland. He painted for a few years, but he eventually tired of it and did not paint for many years.
Upon his return, Pettersson became active in the local youth organisation, for which he wrote plays and monologues. He also wrote prose which he read out loud during organisation meetings. Pettersson was most active as a writer following his return from Turku until 1921.
During the 1920s, Pettersson worked mostly on his parents' farm, only sporadically participating in the youth organisation's activities. His parents both died in 1928, leaving Pettersson to care for the farm. He sold all the animals and most of the property. He tried earning a living on his artistry, but was unsuccessful. He then tried raising hens, but this also proved to be an unsuccessful venture. He resumed painting in 1935, and some of his paintings were displayed during an exhibition the following year.
His constant economic difficulties and work load took their toll. In 1936, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to Grelsby Asylum, where he remained until his death in early 1937.
Pettersson never married, although he was engaged for a brief period; his fiancée left for America
. There is some speculation that Pettersson may have been bisexual.
but relied heavily on the vocabulary of the local dialect, and publishers had little interest in publishing Joel's texts. Some of Joel's writings appeared in local publications, but most of it remained unpublished.
In 1970, writer and rural dean Valdemar Nyman began editing and publishing Pettersson's writings, starting with Jag har ju sett in 1972, 35 years after Pettersson's death. Nyman also wrote an extensive biography of Pettersson, Pojken och den gråa byn (1977). In recent years Ralf Svenblad has edited and published some of Pettersson's works.
Today, Joel Pettersson is considered to be one of the most important Åland writers.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
on the Åland Islands, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He remained an obscure figure during his lifetime; most of his works were unpublished for decades after his death.
Biography
Pettersson was born into poverty in LemlandLemland
Lemland is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland.The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Swedish.-History:...
, Åland. His parents were elderly peasants, Joel's father being well over 50 at the time of Joel's birth. Joel had a younger brother Karl, who died at sea in 1916.
Pettersson began writing and painting in his early school years, though much of his works from this period were not preserved.
In 1913, he had the opportunity to study at a drawing school in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
. He stayed in Turku until 1915, when he decided to abort his studies and return to Åland. He painted for a few years, but he eventually tired of it and did not paint for many years.
Upon his return, Pettersson became active in the local youth organisation, for which he wrote plays and monologues. He also wrote prose which he read out loud during organisation meetings. Pettersson was most active as a writer following his return from Turku until 1921.
During the 1920s, Pettersson worked mostly on his parents' farm, only sporadically participating in the youth organisation's activities. His parents both died in 1928, leaving Pettersson to care for the farm. He sold all the animals and most of the property. He tried earning a living on his artistry, but was unsuccessful. He then tried raising hens, but this also proved to be an unsuccessful venture. He resumed painting in 1935, and some of his paintings were displayed during an exhibition the following year.
His constant economic difficulties and work load took their toll. In 1936, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was committed to Grelsby Asylum, where he remained until his death in early 1937.
Pettersson never married, although he was engaged for a brief period; his fiancée left for America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There is some speculation that Pettersson may have been bisexual.
Appreciation after death
During his lifetime, Pettersson did not receive much appreciation for his works. He did not write in formal SwedishSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
but relied heavily on the vocabulary of the local dialect, and publishers had little interest in publishing Joel's texts. Some of Joel's writings appeared in local publications, but most of it remained unpublished.
In 1970, writer and rural dean Valdemar Nyman began editing and publishing Pettersson's writings, starting with Jag har ju sett in 1972, 35 years after Pettersson's death. Nyman also wrote an extensive biography of Pettersson, Pojken och den gråa byn (1977). In recent years Ralf Svenblad has edited and published some of Pettersson's works.
Today, Joel Pettersson is considered to be one of the most important Åland writers.
Edited by Valdemar Nyman
- Jag har ju sett (1972)
- Eldtände (1973)
- Frifågel (1974)
- Hallonskogen (1975)
Edited by Ralf Svenblad
- Pojken som fantasin skenade bort med (1992)
- Knollan. En kosaga (2001)
- Till alla, alla, alla (2002)
- Måndagsmorgon (2004)