John Albert Bauer (1882–1918) was a Swedish painter and illustrator. He trained at the Kungliga Akademien för de Fria Konsterna in Stockholm from 1900 to 1903. His artistic output encompassed landscape, mythology, and portraiture, though he is primarily associated with the Symbolist tradition through his illustrations of Swedish folklore.
Bauer's distinctive style is evident in his illustrations for early editions of Bland tomtar och troll (Among Elves and Trolls), an anthology of Swedish fairy tales. These works frequently depicted themes from Swedish mythology and nature, establishing a visual language for the country's folklore.
Bauer's poetic and evocative illustrations secured his place as a beloved figure in Sweden, profoundly shaping the national fairy tale tradition. He perished with his family in 1918 when the ferry Per Brahe sank on Lake Vättern.
