Literature: Lena Lamberth (ed): “Scherfig Katalog. Samlet fortegnelse over Hans Scherfigs billedkunst 1905–1979”, Copenhagen 2006, no. 824, one drawing ill. p. 179.

The Danish author and painter Hans Scherfig (1905–1979) made these 22 illustrations for the Danish children's book “Søløven Marius” [The sea lion Marius] written by Harald H. Lund. Disappointingly the gouaches were rejected from the publisher because they were too expensive to reproduce and not until 1995 21 (of the 22) illustrations were used in the second edition of the book. The original illustrations which have never been offered for sale before are characteristic for the multi-artist and colourist Scherfig - naive and expressive with well known motifs such as elephants, camels and giraffes versus the hectic and cold city life. The story is about the sea lion Marius, who accidentally comes to the city and here he is being confronted with the modern city life of Copenhagen in the 1930s.