Found in Celtic and Germanic folklore, they first become popular in Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, and established a sub-genre in the 19th century.
Paton
His most popular comedy inspired a new sub-genre in painting, ‘faery painting’ in the 19th century. Here’s the first act and a bit, with paintings by Dadd and Paton.
To celebrate his bicentenary, here are some early works, including some of his ‘faerie paintings’ of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
The Eclectic Light Company 