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Owlyross
Rohan
Feb 27 2007, 10:45am
Views: 91
Shortcut
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This is my favorite Hobbit illustration, for sentimental reasons. What do you think of it?
Did Bilbo bring the ladder? It seems odd that there's a ladder there, but I suppose the Dwarves could have used it to fill those giant amphoras. I like the touch of the armour on the wall, hints that this wasn't a dragon lair but a Dwarven hall. Where did the bats come from?
Hammond and Scull say that Tolkien, since there were "no words left to express" Bilbo’s reaction to the dragon’s hoard, painted a picture instead. What is wrong with how Tolkien wrote about the treasure? Is the illustration really necessary, or just supplementary? How does his position here compare with the one he takes in "On Fairy-stories", regarding the use of language vs. illustration to represent the fantastic?
I think what he wrote was more powerful. The mound of gold and gems, enough to accommodate a dragon, enough so the dragon has a coat of gems and rubies. That's impressive.
I quite like the picture of Smaug dying, but as someone who doesn't like to see a piece of work go out (especially into print) without it being as good as it can be I can understand Tolkien's frustrations at H&S using the picture on the cover, of all places!
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
Benjamin Franklin
The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think.
Horace Walpole (1717 - 1797)
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Subject
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User
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Time
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**JRRT: Artist & Illustrator. The Hobbit, Part II – Smaug**
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squire
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Feb 25 2007, 6:18pm
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Cover art
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Penthe
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Feb 25 2007, 11:17pm
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That's our "Hobbit".
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Kimi
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Feb 25 2007, 11:27pm
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Only for sentimental reasons? So you don't think much of the picture?
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Curious
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Feb 25 2007, 11:42pm
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He called it "quite powerful and stunning" and a "great painting".
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N.E. Brigand
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Feb 25 2007, 11:52pm
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Great minds feed alike.
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squire
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Feb 26 2007, 12:34am
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Smaug the worm
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a.s.
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Feb 26 2007, 12:06am
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Smaug is in love
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Wynnie
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Feb 26 2007, 12:20am
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And so are we
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Penthe
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Feb 26 2007, 12:46am
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This is easily my favorite of Tolkien's drawings,
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Beren IV
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Feb 26 2007, 12:57am
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what do the runes say?
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a.s.
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Feb 26 2007, 11:27am
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From "Artist and Illustrator"
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Kimi
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Feb 26 2007, 8:01pm
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There's more in The Annotated Hobbit.
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N.E. Brigand
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Feb 26 2007, 8:24pm
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And the two runes beneath
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dernwyn
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Feb 26 2007, 9:53pm
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Is the inscription in English? /nt
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N.E. Brigand
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Feb 26 2007, 10:31pm
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Yes.
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dernwyn
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Feb 27 2007, 12:45am
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Dem bones ain't gonna rise again
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dernwyn
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Feb 27 2007, 1:44am
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Hmm
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Owlyross
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Feb 27 2007, 10:45am
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