 | |
| J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator | |
|---|---|
| Publication Information | |
| Author | Wayne G. Hammond, Christina Scull |
| Illustrator | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Publisher | HarperCollins (UK) Houghton Mifflin (US) |
| Released | 27 October 1995 |
| Format | Hardcover; paperback |
| Pages | 207 |
| ISBN | 0261103229 |
| Preceded by | The War of the Jewels (1994) |
| Followed by | The Peoples of Middle-earth (1996) |
J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator is a collection of paintings (mostly watercolour) and drawings by J.R.R. Tolkien for his stories, published in 1995. The book was edited by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull.
Overview
The book explores Tolkien's art at length, from his childhood paintings and drawings to his final sketches. It reproduces 200 examples of his artwork (around 100 of them were previously unpublished). At its heart are his illustrations for his books, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Also examined are the pictures Tolkien made for his children (notably in his Letters from Father Christmas and Mr. Bliss), his expressive calligraphy, his love of decoration, and his contributions to the typography and design of his books. There is an appendix on Tolkien's calligraphy.
Reception
The book won the 1996 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies.[1]
It was well received by scholars and critics. The Tolkien Library called the book a significant contribution to understanding Tolkien's life and art, "a full book's worth even without the artwork".[2]
Raymond Lister, reviewing the book for the literary journal VII, writes that it is uncommon for writers also to be illustrators, with instances like William Blake and Beatrix Potter. He states that Tolkien rightly considered himself an amateur, though his work gained professional polish over the years. In Lister's view, Tolkien was at his best when illustrating his own "romances", with fictional landscapes populated by dragons; and when working for children. In his view, Hammond and Scull have researched widely, as shown by the notes, and written "a good book ... extensively and beautifully illustrated ... its text ... an excellent example of how scholarship and clear prose—so often mutually exclusive—should be combined".
Publication history and gallery
-
1995 hardcover
-
1998 paperback
-
2004 hardcover
- HarperCollins hardcover (1995), pp. 207. ISBN 0261103229
- HarperCollins paperback (1998), pp. 224. ISBN 0261103601
- HarperCollins hardcover (2004), pp. 208. ISBN 0261103229
See also
External links
References
- ↑ Mythopoeic Awards – Scholarship (accessed 11 June 2022)
- ↑ Books with Tolkien Art and Tolkien inspired art (accessed 11 June 2022)