Alfred Edwin Johnson (16 June 1879 – 24 May 1939), was an English author, translator, and writer on art and dance under the name A. E. Johnson. He was also an artists' agent.
Born in Skirbeck, Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1879, Carmen, Metropolitan Museum of New York, accessed 3 October 2026 the son of Edwin Johnson, an author, and his wife Eleanor Mead, by 1891 he was living in Hampstead, London, with his parents and four older sisters.1891 United Kingdom census, 15 Lawn Road, Hampstead, Ancestry.com, accessed 5 October 2026 In 1901, Johnson was a journalist, while three of his sisters were schoolteachers and one, Katherine, was a painter.1901 United Kingdom census, 66 Fordwych Road, Hampstead, NW3, and next page, Ancestry.com, accessed 5 October 2026 His father died in 1901."JOHNSON Edwin of 66 Fordwych-road West Hampstead Middlesex died 3 October 1901. Probate 31 October to Eleanor Johnson widow Effects £1154 10s", Wills and Administrations (England and Wales) 1901 (London: High Court of Justice, 1902), p. 321 As a young man, he enlisted in the Artists Rifles, a Volunteer Force unit of light infantry, and in 1903 edited the Volunteer Annual (Metropolitan Corps).The Volunteer Annual (Metropolitan Corps) (A. & C. Black, 1903), edited by A. E. JohnsonArthur S. White, A Bibliography of Regimental Histories of the British Army (2013), p. 317
Johnson is best known as the author of A. & C. Black's "Brush, Pen and Pencil" series, early 20th-century monographs focusing on prominent British illustrators and caricaturists. He also wrote about dance, notably in his The Russian Ballet (1913), and translated literary works, such as Prosper Mérimée's novella Carmen.A. E. Johnson, fable.co, accessed 3 October 2026 He spent his life in London.
In 1915, at St George's, Hanover Square, Johnson married Mary Katherine Hart. In the 1921 census, they were recorded as living at 4 Lower Terrace, Hampstead, and then had one daughter, Eleanor Margaret, aged four, one son, Thomas, aged seven months, and three living-in servants, a cook, a parlourmaid, and a nurse. Johnson stated his occupation as "artists' agent, employer" and his office address as 3, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden.1921 United Kingdom census, 4 Lower Terrace, Hampstead, NW3, Ancestry.com, accessed 3 October 2026
Mary Johnson died in March 1933. Johnson died in London on 24 May 1939 while living in New Square, Lincoln's Inn, and left an estate valued at more than £10,000,"JOHNSON Alfred Edwin of 1 New-square Lincoln's Inn London died 24 May 1939… £10,215 17s 6d", Wills and Administrations (England and Wales) 1939 (London: High Court of Justice, 1940), p. 562 . He was buried with his wife at Putney.
Selected works A. E. Johnson, John Hassall R.I. (London, A. & C. Black, 1907) A. E. Johnson, Dudley Hardy R.I., R.M.S. (London, A. & C. Black, 1909) A. E. Johnson, Lawson Wood (London, A. & C. Black, 1910) A. E. Johnson, Frank Reynolds, R.I. (London, A. & C. Black) A. E. Johnson, Tom Browne, R.I. (London, A. & C. Black) A. E. Johnson, W. Heath Robinson (London, A. & C. Black) A. E. Johnson, The Russian Ballet, illustrated by René Bull (London: Constable, 1913; New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1913) Charles Perrault, Old-Time Stories told by Master Charles Perrault (New York: Dodd, Mead, 1921, translator) Prosper Mérimée, Carmen (translator)
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External links Books by Johnson, A. E. (Alfred Edwin) at Project Gutenberg Alfred Edwin Johnson, findagrave.com