What was Hans Christian Andersen’s first published novel?

Hans Christian Andersen’s first published novel was The Improvisatore. He published it in Danish in 1835, and the book drew on his travels in Italy.

The novel follows Antonio, an orphan in Rome who becomes an improvising poet. Its setting allowed Andersen to describe Italian landscapes, cities, art, religion, and social life for readers in northern Europe. The title refers to the tradition of improvising verses aloud, a performance skill associated with Italian culture.

The Improvisatore was important because it established Andersen as a serious writer before his fairy tales became internationally dominant. His earlier work had included poems, plays, and travel writing, but the novel brought together fictional storytelling and autobiographical impressions from his journey through Italy.

English editions use several forms of the title, including The Improvisatore and The Improvisatore; or, Life in Italy. It is sometimes confused with Andersen’s later novels Only a Fiddler, O.T., and The Two Baronesses, but it was his first novel.