John Albert Bauer (1882-1918) was a Swedish artist and illustrator. He became famous for his illustrations for the fairy tales in "Among Elves and Trolls" in the early 20th century.
Bauer was born in Jönköping and moved to Stockholm at the age of sixteen to study art. Here he got his first jobs as an illustrator. At the Royal Academy of Fine Arts he met his future wife Esther Ellqvist.

Early in his career, Bauer made a number of trips to Paris, but also to Lapland, Germany and Italy, which forever influenced his art. In 1907, he began illustrating for “Bland tomtar och troll” and was quickly considered one of the country’s foremost fairy tale illustrators. John Bauer painted mostly in watercolors, but also in oil and frescoes. His illustrations have had a profound impact on Swedish folklore and fairy tale telling. An influence that is tangible and constantly relevant over 100 years after his death.