DescriptionFrom 1907 and for several years thereafter, John Bauer illustrated fairy tales collected in the book “Among Gnomes and Trolls” (Swedish: “Bland Tomtar och Troll”), published at Christmas each year by Åhlén & Åkerlunds Förlag AB. The painting of Tuvstarr was first published in the collection of tales for 1913 as an illustration for “The Tale of Leap the Elk and Little Princess Tuvstarr”.
The fairy tale princess Tuvstarr (her name is a type of sedge) is depicted sitting beside a forest pool. She went out into the world protected by the elk Leap. He warned Tuvstarr about one thing and another but out in the woods, the forest spirit nevertheless managed to take her clothes while the elves stole her royal crown. Tuvstarr then dropped her golden heart in the pond and is now sitting gazing wonderingly into the water.
Princess Tuvstarr and Leap the elk are John Bauer’s most famous fairy tale illustrations. Tuvstarr has many similarities with Esther Ellqvist, who was married to John Bauer. An artist herself, Ellqvist often modelled for Bauer’s paintings. On their trip to Italy, he studied medieval madonnas and Renaissance portraits of women, which also influenced Tuvstarr’s familiar expression.
Today, more than a century later, Bauer’s illustration is better known than the story itself and has been used many times for different purposes. Tuvstarr has been used on shampoo bottles and the painting has been reworked as environmental propaganda with the trees that surround her chopped down.ExhibitionsSamlingen - The Collection, Malmö Konstmuseum, våning 2, 12.06.2021
Baltiska speglingar, Åbo Konstmuseum, Åbo, 27.05.2016 - 28.08.2016
Baltiska speglingar, Malmö Konstmuseum, Konstgalleriet, 10.10.2014 - 19.04.2015
Google Art Project, Internet, 01.01.2012
Walt Disneys Wunderbare Welt und Ihre Wurzeln in der Europäischen Kunst, Helsinki City Art Museum, Helsinki, 25.02.2009 - 07.06.2009
Walt Disneys Wunderbare Welt und Ihre Wurzeln in der Europäischen Kunst, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, München, 19.09.2008 - 25.01.2009
Sommarnätters drömmar - om älvor och vättar i konsten, Tikanojas konsthem, Vasa, 25.05.2002 - 15.09.2002
Stadtmuseum Dûsseldorf 98-07-26--98-10-06, Stadtmuseum Dûsseldorf, 01.06.1998 - 01.12.1998
John Bauer - Långtidsdeposition, Jönköpings läns museum, 28.11.1995
Från 1500 till Nu, Malmö Konstmuseum, 2:a våningen 