John Bauer

John Bauer was a Swedish Illustrator whose work was a great influence on others on this site. Bauer's early work was influenced to a large extent by Albert Engström and Carl Larsson, two contemporaries and influential painters.

Bauer's first major work was commissioned in 1904, when he was asked to illustrate a book on Lappland, not until 1907 would he become known for his illustrations of Bland tomtar och troll, the yearly fairy tale book, in which his most highly acclaimed works would be published in the 1912-1915 editions.

The details of John Bauer's work are accurate -- Bronze Age axes and medieval ironwork. The costumes in his fairy tales are modeled from books in found in the Royal Library. In 1904, he was commissioned to do a book about Lappland and spent a summer following the Lapps on their migrations. Some of the details of their dress are included in the costumes of his trolls.