Tolkien portraits - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mithalwen · 03-06-2010, 06:42 AM

Not sure it is good form to "Heren Istarion" one's own thread but there was a fascinating interview with Lord Snowdon on Radio 4's Front Row this week (straight after "The Archers " else I would probably havie missed it

) which I was going to transcribe but this interview in yesterday's Telegraph covers the most interesting point in relation to the Tolkien portraits about the "edge" he sought and more explicitly than on the radio of the cruelty of photography (though personally I am more liable to inflict cruelty on anyone attempting to take my picture...)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/p...ing-to-do.html

Bêthberry · 03-06-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

(though personally I am more liable to inflict cruelty on anyone attempting to take my picture...)

Nonsense. Neither lens nor I was cracked. It must have been a very good day, eh?

I very much admire Snowdon's photos of Tolkien. I have in fact bought paperbacks of the editions with his photos of Tolkien on them in large part because of the photos (rather than other editions). But the bit about the silence is fascinating. Tolkien of course loved the sounds of language. I wonder how much of the photos belongs to his response to the silence.

Guinevere · 05-17-2010, 06:40 AM

At the Tolkien Seminar in Jena I saw a new Tolkien Biography in German. I wasn't so much interested in the book (nothing new as far as I could see) but I love the portrait on the cover which shows Tolkien younger than on most wellknown photographs. I wonder when this was taken?

I've seen very few pictures of him as a younger man - in fact, only the one in the Carpenter biography which shows him 1916 in uniform with a moustache.

Rumil · 05-17-2010, 04:56 PM

Hi all, must have missed this thread earlier,

Mith, nice links to the Snowdon and Chamberlain pics. In Snowdon's the Prof seems very uncomfortable, as if just in the process of either sitting down or standing up, or perhaps he was sat on a particularly knobbly tree-root, such as Frodo complained about in 'Three Is Company'.

This photo is a sad one for me because I associate it with the TV news clips when Tolkien died. I think these either used the same still photo or were filmed in a similar wood in black and white. That was a while ago now, anyone remember?

The colour photo where Tolkien is looking sraight into the camera just says 'Bilbo at Rivendell' to me - great!

Guinevere - excellent find on the photo of Tolkien as a young man, interesting photo, it brings out some sadness in Tolkien's expression. Does this date from the 1920s? His eyes remind me of other photos of First World War survivors.

03-06-2010, 06:42 AM	#1
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Not sure it is good form to "Heren Istarion" one's own thread but there was a fascinating interview with Lord Snowdon on Radio 4's Front Row this week (straight after "The Archers " else I would probably havie missed it ) which I was going to transcribe but this interview in yesterday's Telegraph covers the most interesting point in relation to the Tolkien portraits about the "edge" he sought and more explicitly than on the radio of the cruelty of photography (though personally I am more liable to inflict cruelty on anyone attempting to take my picture...) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/p...ing-to-do.html __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

05-17-2010, 06:40 AM	#3
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	At the Tolkien Seminar in Jena I saw a new Tolkien Biography in German. I wasn't so much interested in the book (nothing new as far as I could see) but I love the portrait on the cover which shows Tolkien younger than on most wellknown photographs. I wonder when this was taken? I've seen very few pictures of him as a younger man - in fact, only the one in the Carpenter biography which shows him 1916 in uniform with a moustache. __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat!

05-17-2010, 04:56 PM	#4
Rumil Sage & Onions Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Britain Posts: 894	flashbang wallop Hi all, must have missed this thread earlier, Mith, nice links to the Snowdon and Chamberlain pics. In Snowdon's the Prof seems very uncomfortable, as if just in the process of either sitting down or standing up, or perhaps he was sat on a particularly knobbly tree-root, such as Frodo complained about in 'Three Is Company'. This photo is a sad one for me because I associate it with the TV news clips when Tolkien died. I think these either used the same still photo or were filmed in a similar wood in black and white. That was a while ago now, anyone remember? The colour photo where Tolkien is looking sraight into the camera just says 'Bilbo at Rivendell' to me - great! Guinevere - excellent find on the photo of Tolkien as a young man, interesting photo, it brings out some sadness in Tolkien's expression. Does this date from the 1920s? His eyes remind me of other photos of First World War survivors. __________________ Rumil of Coedhirion