Christy Brown

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Christy Brown (born June 5, 1932 in Dublin , † September 6, 1981 in Parbrook , Somerset , England ; the spelling Cristy Brown is often found ) was an Irish painter and author.

Life

Christy Brown grew up as the tenth of 22 children in poor conditions in Dublin. He was born with severe athetosis , was only able to move his left foot in a controlled manner and was initially considered to be mentally handicapped and incapable of education.However, thanks to his mother's initiative, he was encouraged to not only make himself understandable, but also pictures and could produce written texts. In 1954 he published his autobiographical first work Mein Linker Fuß , which was filmed in 1989 under the same title with Daniel Day-Lewis in the leading role.

A barrel full of life was also available on the German book market at times , while Brown's other books were not translated into German. He wrote and painted using only his left foot; Christy Brown never needed his hands. On October 5, 1972, he married Mary Carr; In 1981 he died of a severe attack of suffocation .

There are three special needs schools in Germany named after Christy Brown: The Christy Brown School in Villingen-Schwenningen (Baden-Württemberg), the Christy Brown School in Duisburg (North Rhine-Westphalia) and the Christy Brown School in Herten (North Rhine-Westphalia).

Works (selection)

  • My left foot . London, Secker & Warburg, 1954.
    • My left foot . Berlin: Henssel 1956 (German first edition)
  • Down all the days . London, Secker & Warburg 1970.
    • A barrel full of life . Bern, Munich, Vienna: Joke 1972. (German first edition)
  • Come Softly to My Wake: The Poems of Christy Brown . London: Secker and Warburg 1971.
  • A shadow of summer . Pan Books 1974.
  • Of Snails and Skylarks: Poems . London: Secker & Warburg 1977.
  • Wild Grow the Lilies . Scarborough House 1990. ISBN 9780812824704

literature

  • Georgina Louise Hambleton: Christy Brown: The Life That Inspired My Left Foot . Random House 2011. ISBN 9781780573342

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Brown, Christy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Irish painter and author
DATE OF BIRTH June 5, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Dublin
DATE OF DEATH September 6, 1981
Place of death Parbrook - Somerset