THE STRANGE HISTORY COLLECTION

The Haunting Artwork of Henry Darger

A brief exploration into the stunning yet strange artwork of the outsider artist Henry Darger.

Spangled Blengins. Boy King Islands. Artwork by Henry Darger (1892–1973). Collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York.

Henry Darger was a talented outsider artist and novelist known for his unorthodox lifestyle and distinct art style. The world that Darger created is full of color and whimsy, but it is also packed with dark and often bizarre themes.

With depictions of torture, murder, and genocide juxtaposed with bright colors and cheery illustrated Victorian girls, we can only describe the Vivian Girls’ 15,000-page epic novel as strange at best.

While I am no art expert, I am fascinated by everything strange and unusual, and Mr. Darger ticks both boxes, so let’s dive into his strange yet stunning world.

A Tough Beginning

Henry was born in 1892, and life introduced him to tragedy at a very young age. He was only four years old when his mother passed away while giving birth to his little sister. At the age of eight, he was placed in an orphanage where he constantly fought with other children.

He was given the nickname Crazy.

At twelve years old, Darger became too much for the orphanage and was placed in an…