I do believe, sir
Annatar the Avid, with this you have hit the nail on the head.
(Or as Paul Harvey used to say, 'with your head'.)
blasphemy ˈblas-fə-mē: Noun. plural blasphemies adjective: blasphemous adverb: Blasphemously
- the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
- the act of claiming the attributes of a deity
- irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable
There are those who consider the works of
Tolkien to be, at the very least, 'sacred or inviolable'.
Then there are those who do not.
As to paintings of things, they do not differ from cinematic portrayals. It's all art.
And
artists will render things they way they choose to depict them...often by ignorance of the source matter and sometimes by intentional departure.
Yet it is no less art.
Now then: if I considered Tolkien's work to be deific or sacred or inviolable, I would be utterly incapable of receiving, accepting and enjoying that artist's efforts.
But Tolkien made many mistakes in his works...so I cannot hold them to such a standard.
Interestingly, there are many I see who are both willing to decry Tolkien's works for the many things that "don't make sense" in them, or have no foundation in science, or other such things... yet as soon as they see a bit of art (of any kind - painting, drawing, cinematic, written) - that depicts something contrary to Tolkien's writing, they cry foul and raise the banner of recrimination and revolt. The fickleness of the human
race at its best.
As you know, I am not among them.
So I am thankful you have a stance on these matters - and are willing to share it. Many (if not most) walk alive yet as dead having no awareness and less care.
And I am thankful you brought the word 'blasphemous' forward as it is extremely suitable to the situation at hand with Tolkien and his followers - and many other things, frankly.