When evening came, troll mother and the boy sneaked out of the mountain. They carried the trolls' cauldron between themselves on a stick 1914

John Bauer conjured this strange image, 'When evening came, troll mother and the boy sneaked out of the mountain. They carried the trolls' cauldron between themselves on a stick' using muted greens, blues, and browns. The painting's surface feels almost like a dream, as if it was lifted directly from the hidden corners of the imagination. I can almost feel the artist holding his breath, carefully sketching the scene, building the forest out of tiny, delicate marks. What's in that cauldron? What do trolls need it for? Look at the way the landscape looms and the weight of the unknown that Bauer manages to convey so well. This piece reminds me of other fairytale illustrators. The eerie quality, like the uncanny illustrations of Arthur Rackham. It feels like he’s whispering a secret, inviting us to wonder about the world beneath the surface.