This picture book was the last one, Hans Christian Andersen made. In the diary of May 9th, 1874, the poet wrote:

"In the last [couple of] days I have made a Picture Book for little Charlotte Melchior, mostly pasted on coloured pictures and written verses next to each. The Book is being sent to her today."

Two days later, Andersen writes in his diaries:

"I drove the ladies [Sophie, Anna and Louise Melchior] to the Melchior gate [Rolighed] There Israel Melchior came to thank me for the Picture Book I had pasted for little Charlotte, it would now be stronger bound - Visit from Johanne Melchior with Poul and Charlotte to thank me for the Picture Book I had pasted and filled with writing for the little girl."

The book was made in the same period in which the author worked on his big screen and wrote the poem "The old man". The binding in black cloth is made by the Melchior family. They cut up the original picture book and glued the pages on to the 24 cardboard pages of the present book. The original picture book was a booklet in 48 pages in the format 17,3 x 21,5 cm.

The publishing of Charlotte Melchior's Picture Book is part of a longer row of publications meant to enlighten the life and work of Hans Christian Andersen on the occasion of the 200-years anniversary in 2005. This work, which has been coordinated with similar initiatives at The Royal Library and The Hans Christian Andersen Center at the University of Southern Denmark, has only been possible thanks to the financial support of The HCA 2005 Foundation.

See the book ->