Rakel Haslund-Gjerrild

Adam im Paradies by Danish writer Rakel Haslund-Gjerrild, published now in a gorgeous German edition and translated by Andreas Donat was a wonderful reading experience.

First and foremost because of the beautiful, lush and opulent language that is, although I cannot read Danish, magnificently translated. I think I can safely say this because of how the prose feels completely natural and flows like a lush stream of words that opens up the reader’s senses. Feel, touch, smell, see, hear; this is a feast of sensory delight.

Rakel Haslund-Gjerrild imagines how the danish painter Kristian Zahrtmann (1843-1917) prepares for and works at his famous painting Adam i Paradis while he thinks back of events in his past. These reminiscences are defined by real historical fragments of texts concerning homosexuality in Danish society published mostly during the first decade of the 20th century and function as a way to speak of things that Zahrtmann cannot (dare not) say out loud, not even to himself.… (meer)