Tolkien's own art - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mithalwen · 01-25-2008, 02:19 PM

I had just bought that book when I met Lal and Davem at Oxonmoot in '86 (I was very restrained this year and didn't buy a scud). I dislike nearly all Tolkien inspired art (Howe and Lee are ok.. the rest vary from not my cup of tea to beyond hideous - I mean I detest Luthien but I don't think that even she deserved to be depicted as a silicone enhanced pole-dancer transposed to a glade in a vaguely psychedelic and deeply tacky version of Dejeuner sure l'herbe as Hildebrandt did)

I am sure, many people who knew and loved the books for a long time before they saw anyone else's view of it, I have very strong images in my mind about what people and places looked and they no doubt are influenced by the only pictures I had seen - Tolkien's own for the Hobbit and Pauline Baynes' for Bombadil. Of course Tolkien is an amateur but his pictures are charming and while there may be flaws in the execution (I am not qualified to judge) it is fascinating to glimpse the intention.

It was quite an expensive book but it was the picture of Lorien that clinched it for me..I have always wanted to see mallorns....or perhaps that should be mellyrn (edit)

01-25-2008, 02:19 PM	#15
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,463	I had just bought that book when I met Lal and Davem at Oxonmoot in '86 (I was very restrained this year and didn't buy a scud). I dislike nearly all Tolkien inspired art (Howe and Lee are ok.. the rest vary from not my cup of tea to beyond hideous - I mean I detest Luthien but I don't think that even she deserved to be depicted as a silicone enhanced pole-dancer transposed to a glade in a vaguely psychedelic and deeply tacky version of Dejeuner sure l'herbe as Hildebrandt did) I am sure, many people who knew and loved the books for a long time before they saw anyone else's view of it, I have very strong images in my mind about what people and places looked and they no doubt are influenced by the only pictures I had seen - Tolkien's own for the Hobbit and Pauline Baynes' for Bombadil. Of course Tolkien is an amateur but his pictures are charming and while there may be flaws in the execution (I am not qualified to judge) it is fascinating to glimpse the intention. It was quite an expensive book but it was the picture of Lorien that clinched it for me..I have always wanted to see mallorns....or perhaps that should be mellyrn (edit) __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace Last edited by Mithalwen; 01-25-2008 at 02:56 PM.