Illustrations Gallery

John Bauer – Illustrations from Bland Tomtar Och Troll 7 1913

Bland tomtar och troll 7 (1913) – Illustrated by John Bauer

John Bauer - Bland tomtar och troll 7 - 1913
Bland tomtar och troll 7 (1913)

Bland tomtar och troll (“Among Gnomes and Trolls”) is a long-running annual Swedish fairy tale anthology that began in 1907. Volume 7, published in 1913 by Åhlén & Åkerlund in Stockholm, features illustrations by the legendary Swedish artist John Bauer, whose work would come to define the visual language of Scandinavian folklore for generations. This edition is widely regarded as one of the finest in the series and a pinnacle of Bauer’s artistic achievements.

The 1913 volume includes fairy tales penned by prominent Swedish authors, including Helena Nyblom and C. G. Starbäck, and is particularly noted for the haunting and atmospheric illustrations that have made the series beloved among collectors and fantasy enthusiasts alike. Bauer’s illustrations blend realism with fantasy, bringing to life the misty Nordic forests, melancholy trolls, luminous princesses, and brave young adventurers that populate these tales. His trolls are both grotesque and sympathetic, and his forest scenes are infused with mood, mystery, and reverence for nature.

About the Illustrator:
John Bauer (1882–1918) was a Swedish painter and illustrator best known for his fairy tale artwork in Bland tomtar och troll. Educated at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts, Bauer developed a unique style that combined Art Nouveau influences with deep roots in Norse mythology and national romanticism. His muted palette, expressive line work, and emotionally resonant characters captured the imagination of readers across Scandinavia and beyond. Tragically, Bauer died young in a shipwreck, but his work continues to influence fantasy artists and illustrators to this day.

For Collectors:

  • Bland tomtar och troll, Vol. 1–9 (1907–1915), illustrated by John Bauer – Earlier volumes showcasing the evolution of Bauer’s mythic style.
  • East of the Sun and West of the Moon (1914) – Kay Nielsen’s Nordic fairy-tale illustrations
  • The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (1909) – Arthur Rackham’s Germanic folklore interpretations
  • Tales from the Norse Legends (1910), illustrated by H. J. Ford – Classic Norse mythology presented with vintage Golden Age illustrations.

Art Gallery: John Bauer – Bland Tomtar Och Troll 7