Art in Middle Earth.

[Rumil]

Some more painting snippets I've thought of.

'At the sign of the Prancing Pony'

Above the arch there was a lamp, and beneath it swung a large signboard: a fat white pony reared up on its hind legs. Over the door was painted in white letters: THE PRANCING PONY by BARLIMAN BUTTERBUR.

So Bree at least has painted pub signs, and I strongly suspect that The Green Dragon and other Shire pubs had similar.

As Mith says heraldic art is often mentioned, eg the devices of the Noldorian princes in the First Age. But there's also the use of more representational devices, like the white horses painted on the shields of the Rohirrim. Another area is that of flags and banners. We are told that Aragorn's standard was embroidered by Arwen, but as far as I'm aware embroidered battle flags are quite rare in our reality, more often they were painted. So Rohan's horse, Dol Amroth's swan and Harad's serpent may well have been painted.

[Rumil]

Aha! another mention of Bag End art

There was plenty of everything left for Frodo. And, of course, all the chief treasures, as well as the books, pictures, and more than enough furniture, were left in his possession

[Faramir Jones]

Nice references, Rumil! I was possibly thinking of one of them when wondering if some hobbits had their portraits painted.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Don't forget the Great Hall at Menegroth, its pillars carved to resemble the beeches of Orome with birds and beasts peering down from the branches.