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.
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| 1927 The Eternal Lover by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1927 The Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1929 The Man Who Mastered Time by Ray Cummings cover by J. Allen St. John |
1929 The Monster Men
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs Title page by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1929 The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
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| 1930 Oriental Stories Winter issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1930 Tarzan at the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1930 Tarzan at the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1930 The Boss of Thunder Butte by W.D. Hoffman cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1932 The Port of Peril by Otis Adelbert Kline cover by J. Allen St. John |
The same illustration used the following year for a Weird Tales cover:
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| 1933 Weird Tales January issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1932 Weird Tales December cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1932 Weird Tales June issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1932 Weird Tales November artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1932 Weird Tales November cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Golden Blood by Jack Williamson cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Golden Blood by Jack Williamson title page by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Golden Blood by Jack Williamson title page by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Golden Blood by Jack Williamson illustration by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Tarzan and the City of Gold by Edgar Rice Burroughs artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Tarzan and the City of Gold by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 The Magic Carpet Magazine July issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Weird Tales "Golden Blood by Jack Williamson" artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Weird Tales "Golden Blood by Jack Williamson" May issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Weird Tales "Golden Blood by Jack Williamson" April issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Weird Tales February issue artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1933 Weird Tales February issue cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1934 Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1934 Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs illustration by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1934 Tarzan and the Lion Man by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1934 Tarzan and the Lion Man by Edgar Rice Burroughs illustration by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1935 Tarzan and the Leopard Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1935 Tarzan and the Leopard Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1935 Tarzan and the Leopard Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Tarzan's Quest by Edgar Rice Burroughs artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Tarzan's Quest by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Tarzan's Quest by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
1936 Swords of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs:
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs artwork by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs cover by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs preliminary sketch by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs preliminary sketch by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs illustration by J. Allen St. John |
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| 1936 Swords of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs illustration by J. Allen St. John |