The Face in the Pool

James Allen St. John (October 1, 1872 – May 23, 1957) was an American author, artist, and illustrator. He is considered by many to be 'The Godfather of Modern Fantasy Art'.

He is especially remembered for his illustrations for the novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, although he illustrated works of many types. He taught at the Chicago Art Institute and with the American Academy of Art.

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. He spent time in Paris from 1906 to 1908 at the Académie Julian, then moved to Chicago around 1912. 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.