Tolkien portraits

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thank you very much for that link, Mithalwen! I had never heard of, much less seen the Snowdon portrait, and it does have something disturbing about it. I think the angle, taken upwards, has something to do with that - he looks like he is desperately holding on to keep from falling. That could well be metaphoric for his emotions at that time of his life. I am reminded of the feeling he describes in Smith of Wootton Major, the loss of the key to Faërie, written only a few years earlier.

The other impression I get from the portrait is a Treebeard-y feeling, only hopeless and desolate. A very moving photograph indeed!

[Mithalwen]

Yes, those are not friendly trees. Those roots have a hint of old man willow for all that it is a conifer. Also although it is a portrait the sitter is a very small part of the shot.

I seem to remember that this picture was to mark his 80th birthday whereas the others were to illustrate an article - I think in the Daily Telegraph.

[Pitchwife]

The Snowdon portrait was the first picture of Tolkien I ever saw (in a promotion leaflet from the German publishers of the Silmarillion, way back in the late 70s, which also contained, as a teaser, the first chapter of the Sil I ever read - Of the Darkening of Valinor, IIRC). At the time, he seemed to belong with those trees - to my younger eyes, he looked as old as the earth, as weird, ancient and otherworldly as the world of his tales. I didn't notice the look of old age and loss, but now you mention it, it's obvious.
(By the way, the trees strongly remind me of those on Tolkien's own painting of Taur-nu-Fuin/Mirkwood.)

[Mithalwen]

Thank you Pitchwife - that is interesting that it was used for that purpose ... certainly more intriguing than the classic author photograph.

I agree about Mirkwood... though there is some light it just serves to make the darkness..darker - and there is something a bit fey about it...and the way he seems almost to emerge from the roots.

On a side note, some people have been kind enough to tell me privately they like this but feel they have nothing to add. I had hoped that by putting it on N&N that it might encourage posting since I thought it was something that could be responded to by anyone who looked regardless of whether they were completely au fait with every detail of Tolkien's life and work. So I hope we might get a few more responses even if they are just an impression.

[Lalaith]

It seems to me to be of a man who has grown more tree-ish.

[Bêthberry]

Like Esty, I have not seen this before, so I certainly thank Mithalwen for posting it here.

It certainly an interesting and original portrait and rather surprising given that Snowdon reportedly hated reading. He must have done his homework on his subjects.

It's interesting that only the tiniest part of Tolkien's head meets the sky. As others have said before, altogether tree-ish.

Did Tolkien himself ever publicly comment on the portrait? It would be fascinating to know what he thought of it.

[Mithalwen]

http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#85XCS4...ic:Photography

http://checkpoint.ansible.co.uk/cp014.html I am still researching but won't have much time now until after the weekend.

Since the portrait was taken in Bournemouth I imagine that it was in the vicinity of the Miramar (since Tolkien had returned to Oxford by then) - however it could be Branksome where he used to live and where he returned to visit the Tolhursts. I may go and take a look.