James Allen St. John (1872 Chicago – 1957 Chicago) was an American author, artist and illustrator. He is especially remembered for his illustrations for the novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, though he illustrated works of many types. He taught at the Chicago Art Institute and the American Academy of Art. He is considered by many to be 'The Godfather of Modern Fantasy Art'. His most famous disciples were Roy Krenkel and Frank Frazetta, the latter of whom has also been styled as the grandmaster of the Genre.
St. John's artistic career began in 1898. He studied at the Art Students League of New York. This was followed by his first commercial relationship with the New York Herald. During this period he spent time in Paris from 1906 to 1908 at the Académie Julian, then moved to Chicago around 1912 and would eventually live at Tree Studios art colony until his death. While in Chicago he became close friends with artist Louis Grell. Here he began his work with the publisher A.C. McClurg & Co., although he had already produced his best-known work for this publisher back in 1905, “The Face in the Pool,” which he had both written and illustrated.
This is part 2 of a 5-part series on the works of James Allen St. John. For earlier works, see part 1 also.
1917 The Son of Tarzan
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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1918 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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1920 Thuvia, Maid of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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1917 The Son of Tarzan
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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| Like a flash the beast wheeled upon its tormentor |
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| The audience was delighted |
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| Come here, said Paulvitch |
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| The lad, horrified, sprang from the bed |
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| You will pay more than this, he said |
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| The warrior was dead |
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| It was the boy |
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| The boy sailed over the lion's head |
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| The great bulls were dancing in the moonlight |
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| Meriem |
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| The victory cry of the bull ape |
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| The capture of Meriem |
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| ( Un-captioned ) |
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| Meriem was brought forth into the sunlight |
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| Both men fired at once |
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| The baboons rout the blacks |
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| Numa the Lion |
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| Slowly and one by one they approached the girl |
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| Meriem's leap saved her from a horrible death |
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| Meriem stopped short |
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| Korak looked searchingly down |
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| The black came upon the spoor of two ponies |
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| The flight of Meriem |
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| With a wild whoop of exultation |
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| Hammock, canopy and man were swung high above Tantor's head |
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| A terrific blow |
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| He commanded the elephant to lift him and carry him |
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| With naked hands he faced the maddened Tantor |
1918 Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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| 1919 The Warlords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1919 The Warlords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1920 All-Story Weekly Tarzan and the Valley of Luna by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
1920 Thuvia, Maid of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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| Preliminary sketch for the above |
