John Dickson Batten (1860-1932) was an English English painter, book illustrator, and printmaker. As a student at the Slade School of Fine Arts, Batten's work gravitated towards themes of mythology and allegory. He gained fame for his illustration of a series of fairy tales, edited by Joseph Jacobs (a member of the Folklore Society) including English Fairy Tales, Celtic Fairy Tales, Indian Fairy Tales, More English Fairy Tales, More Celtic Fairy Tales, and Europa's Fairy Book. His later work in egg tempera, of which his Pandora (1913) was exhibited at the Royal Academy, led him to be involved in the Society of Painters in Tempera. He was best known for his illustrations of books like English Fairy Tales and Europa’s Fairy Book, as well as an English version of Dante’s Inferno.
Illustrations by John Dickson Batten
"Scissors.” Europa’s Fairy Book, Joseph Jacobs, New York, London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1916, pp. 31-33.
“A Dozen at a Blow.” Europa’s Fairy Book, Joseph Jacobs, New York, London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1916, pp. 81-89.
“Reynard and Bruin.” Europa’s Fairy Book, Joseph Jacobs, New York, London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1916, pp. 42-50.
“The Language of Animals” Europa’s Fairy Book, Joseph Jacobs, New York, London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1916, pp. 66-71.
“The Master Thief” Europa’s Fairy Book, Joseph Jacobs, New York, London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1916, pp. 121-128.
