Tolkien, the Artist

[Bêthberry]

I found an article which might be interesting in terms of resurrecting this thread--a companion to Esty's bad Tolkien art thread!

While I'm not convinced by all of the points made in this article, it is still an intriguing approach, to suggest that Tolkien's imagination was fired by art and illustration as well as by literary texts. Since Tolkien was a talented amateur artist, such an idea at least offers grounds for considering the breadth of his imagination. And why miss an opportunity for considering his relationship with Art Nouveau?

Perhaps we might also have a key here to understanding why some illustrators of Tolkien find approval among the Barrow Downers and others don't. Do illustrators who stray too far from Art Nouveau style risk breaking that intangible thread of imaginary visual sense? (Hey, I might post this idea on the bad art thread.)

Tolkien and the New Art: Visual Sources for Lord of the Rings

[davem]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Perhaps we might also have a key here to understanding why some illustrators of Tolkien find approval among the Barrow Downers and others don't. Do illustrators who stray too far from Art Nouveau style risk breaking that intangible thread of imaginary visual sense? (Hey, I might post this idea on the bad art thread.)

Have to say my favourite illustrations of Tolkien's work are the ones by Pauline Baynes (especially the SoWM & Giles pictures) & S. Juchimov http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/juchimov.htm both of which have a very 'medieval' feel.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by davem

Have to say my favourite illustrations of Tolkien's work are the ones by Pauline Baynes (especially the SoWM & Giles pictures) & S. Juchimov http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/juchimov.htm both of which have a very 'medieval' feel.

Funnily enough, styles like those of Baynes and Juchimov were very much was I was thinking of davem, despite their differences with Art Nouveau. The characteristic which is absent in them but present in many of the artists which are not admired here is what I would call a "muscular" quality. There's something ethereal in the illustrators we admire and that characteristic is lacking in those we don't. Ethereal and something else, too, something whimsical.

The very sort of thing missing in the artwork on the site of one long time ago Downs member, by name of Cimmerian. He's got some orcs there amongst the fleshpots that might be qualified as Tolkien art.

I think I'm definitely going to link this to Esty's other thread.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

The characteristic which is absent in them but present in many of the artists which are not admired here is what I would call a "muscular" quality. There's something ethereal in the illustrators we admire and that characteristic is lacking in those we don't. Ethereal and something else, too, something whimsical.

In most of Tolkien's work, strength of body or even that of the mind, is not the emphasis. Rather the focus seems to be strength of character, a trait which is pictured by an more inward and subjective eye. So it would be natural that depictions should be flavored by an inner life and aesthetic not normal to mundane life. To me, the illustrations that do not try to pin the stories to real life, are the most satisfying.

Very interesting article Bethberry! Fun to see that it was written by a former curator of the Walters Art Gallery. I used to send quite a bit of time there.

[MatthewM]

Does anybody know of any pictures by JRRT showing his characters? (Besides Bilbo)

[MatthewM]

No?

I can't find any evidence that Tolkien ever sketched his characters...

[Galin]

Tolkien drew Beleg & Gwindor, Gandalf, Glaurung... for examples, and I guess you mean the characters outside of Smaug or the Trolls too.

These can be found in the Hammond & Scull book. Beleg and Gwindor made it onto some covers (very small figures on the paperback) for The Two Towers, interestingly enough, about which see details in H&S.

[MatthewM]

Originally Posted by davem

Have to say my favourite illustrations of Tolkien's work are the ones by Pauline Baynes (especially the SoWM & Giles pictures) & S. Juchimov http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/juchimov.htm both of which have a very 'medieval' feel.

Wow, I've never seen the ones by S. Juchimov- those are truly great. The only thing I find a bit odd is the depiction of halo's around the heads of the figures.