Anthony R. (Anthony Reubens) Montalba

Anthony R. Montalba, also known as Anthony Rubens or Reubens Montalba, was a Swedish-born artist who became a naturalized British subject. He is remembered both as a painter and as the editor of Fairy Tales from All Nations, a story collection first published in 1849 and illustrated by Richard Doyle.

His life connected several artistic circles. Sources describe him as the head of the Montalba family of artists, whose daughters also became well known for their work, and the family later became closely associated with Venice. That broader artistic setting helps explain why his name appears not only in literary catalogs, but in art history as well.

For audiobook listeners, Montalba’s main appeal is his role in gathering and presenting folktales for an English-speaking audience. Fairy Tales from All Nations reflects a Victorian-era fascination with stories from many places, making it an interesting blend of entertainment, adaptation, and cultural curiosity.