alexandral: (Burne-Jones - The Wedding of Psyche)
alexandral ([personal profile] alexandral) wrote2007-05-28 10:30 pm
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John Bauer

John Bauer (04.07.1882 – 20.11.1918 was a painter and illustrator from Sweden. His most known illustrations are for the popular Swedish fairytale annual, "Bland tomtar och troll" (Among Elves and Trolls) . Apparently this annual is still going! I was introduced to his art by [livejournal.com profile] baleanoptera in her excellent post Picturing that which is not, again and immediately fell in love with it.

John Bauer was one of the people whose life follows inexplicable and dark fate. His sister died when she was 13 and this made a huge impact on him and his family. He was suffering from depression and had family difficulties in his later life. John Bauer, his wife and his son died in the shipwreck and this is a very strange story : they decided to go to Stockholm by ferry because they had heard of the recent train accident.

I have been collecting his illustrations for quite a while already and meant to post them for ages. They are absolutely amazing, outworldly and mysterious!
























































I have made some icons from John Bauers's illustrations, free to share. Preview:

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[identity profile] alexandral.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
I was just thinking that I would love to have a book with these illustrations. But LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swedish-Folk-Tales-Polly-Lawson/dp/0863154573 I am definitely going to get this for Sasha..

he manages to create a sense of space and depth, along with the shadowed impact of the themes.

Is manner of painting is quite unique, isn't it! It is so easily recognizable!

[identity profile] jenlev.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
cool! thank you for the link. and yup, very easy to spot his work. :)

[identity profile] alexandral.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I still keep staring at the illustrations every now and again. :D

[identity profile] jenlev.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
they're worth staring at. :)

[identity profile] thirteenthgrace.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank-you so much, I was thinking the exact same thing!

[identity profile] alexandral.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I am glad it was useful!