John Bauer is above all known and hugely popular for his illustrations with goblins, elves and fairies. Much inspiration was drawn from the Swedish landscape in Småland that surrounded him. Most of Bauer's paintings consist of watercolors, but he also painted with oil paint. His illustrations have had a major impact on Swedish folklore and storytelling.
John Bauer was born in Jönköping in Sweden in 1882. Annually, from 1907, he published his stories under the title "Among Elves and Goblins". He became known as the great painter of mystical beings. He died in 1918, only 36 years old, in a boat accident on Lake Vättern after a severe storm when the boat he was traveling in sank.