John Bauer
Occupation / Title:Date of birth:04/06/1882
Date of death:20/11/1918
Biography
The death of his sister at the age of 13 affected him and his brothers a great deal. After a life of amazing illustration and painting, the war and his failing marriage convinced John Bauer to seek spiritual healing and rest in Stockholm. He, his wife and child were all killed when the Per Brahe ferry wrecked during transport.
Family and early life
Living in an apartment situated above their father’s charcuterie, he was always given to sketching and drawing. (Wikipedia)
Career outline
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. Bauer also produced a fresco, Den helige Martin (The Holy Martin), which can be seen in the Odd Fellows lodge in Nyköping. Bauer’s themes can be found in later works by the illustrators Arthur Rackham, Kay Nielsen and Brian Froud. (Wikipedia
Personal style
Dark and fantasy laced.
Influences
Albert Engström and Carl Larsson (Wikipedia)
References:
- The Artist John Bauer And His World, Helen Agrenius (curator, Jönköping museum), 1996.
- John Bauer Sagotecknaren, Harald Schiller, 1935 (Swedish).