Arthur van Schendel

author

Arthur van Schendel

1874–1946

A major Dutch novelist of the early 20th century, he wrote richly atmospheric fiction that often blends history, wandering lives, and quiet psychological depth. His books helped make him one of the most admired literary voices in the Netherlands.

1 Audiobook

Een Zwerver Verliefd

by Arthur van Schendel

About the author

Born in 1874 and active across the first half of the 20th century, Arthur van Schendel became known as one of the Netherlands' most important novelists and short-story writers. His work is often noted for its lyrical style, historical settings, and fascination with travelers, outsiders, and people living on the edges of ordinary society.

He spent part of his life outside the Netherlands, including years in Italy, and that sense of movement and distance can be felt in many of his books. Among his best-known novels are Een zwerver verliefd, Het fregatschip Johanna Maria, and De waterman, works that helped secure his reputation with generations of Dutch readers.

Van Schendel died in 1946. His fiction is still remembered for its dreamlike mood, elegant language, and the way it joins adventure, history, and inner life without ever losing its human warmth.