Tolkien Artwork

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

Honestly the art on its own is hilarious to me, even without the caption. 😂

Right!! He looks 100% done!

Is this a prequel or sequel to the saga of The Knork™️?

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

Is this a prequel or sequel to the saga of The Knork™️?

I could see it either way.

Prequel: He just doesn't know how to react to this.

Knork incident: He gets annoyed.

Sequel: He's just so done that he's not even visibly annoyed anymore.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

I could see it either way.

Prequel: He just doesn't know how to react to this.

Knork incident: He gets annoyed.

Sequel: He's just so done that he's not even visibly annoyed anymore.

Maitimo: How long will it take people to realize that I just have ONE HAND??!!

Maitimo: *momentarily forgets he lacks a hand and tries to grab something with his right hand*

Maitimo: ...

Maitimo: A long time, apparently.

 

[Fingon_Findekáno]

Maitimo: How long will it take people to realize that I just have ONE HAND??!!

Maitimo: *momentarily forgets he lacks a hand and tries to grab something with his right hand*

Maitimo: ...

Maitimo: A long time, apparently.

Finno: Here, let me give you a hand with that! *helpfully picks the object up*

…

*Seeing the visible annoyance on Maitimo’s face, he puts the object down and backs away slowly.*

 

[Eljorahir]

Tolkien's drawing of Mordor from "The Silmarillion (Illustrated by the Author)" and a couple of questions from me...

I can't quite discern the lettering: Is that "Orod Nauor"? I assume this is just an early name for Orodruin?

Looking at this drawing closely my brain can't quite decide if Tolkien has drawn a column of smoke or a tower/smokestack on Mount Doom. Did he ever contemplate the impractical idea of having a tower on Mount Doom?

Tolkien's drawing of Mordor and a zoom-in for the mountain of fire

For comparison, Christopher's map for Unfinished Tales:

 

[ZehnWaters]

Tolkien's drawing of Mordor from "The Silmarillion (Illustrated by the Author)" and a couple of questions from me...

I can't quite discern the lettering: Is that "Orod Nauor"? I assume this is just an early name for Orodruin?

Looking at this drawing closely my brain can't quite decide if Tolkien has drawn a column of smoke or a tower/smokestack on Mount Doom. Did he ever contemplate the impractical idea of having a tower on Mount Doom?

Tolkien's drawing of Mordor and a zoom-in for the mountain of fire
View attachment 36777

View attachment 36776

For comparison, Christopher's map for Unfinished Tales:
View attachment 36778

It does appear to be Nauor or Nauoor. This might be where we get Sammath Naur, so this makes sense.

It looks like a column of smoke to me. But this could be a tower or smokestack. This looks like it's early in its development, when it was meant to be more light-hearted like The Hobbit. Perhaps there WAS a smokestack.

Other objects of note:
The mountain seems to be in a different location as well; more on the northern border.

I see the old spelling of Kirith. Is there more to the name Ered Lithui? It almost looks like there's no space, and one or two letters after it.

The Ephel Dúath (why is Ephel rather than Ered, BTW?) are shaped a touch differently. They have larger valleys between the ranges and a large gap there at the bottom.

 

[Eljorahir]

Is there more to the name Ered Lithui? It almost looks like there's no space, and one or two letters after it.

Ya, it looks like Eredlithui written as a single word. The final u and i are connected cursive style with the dot for the final i floating way up high.

Also, that ring of mountains due west of Lake Nurnen looks interesting, like a dormant volcanic caldera with a giant upheaval mountain in the center...a perfect locale for Mordor's version of Gondolin, maybe.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I believe that's a geographic feature, not an "o" on the map, and Tolkien skipped over it in putting in the letters of "naur". There are other examples of this practice on his part.

"Naur" being "fire" leads to "Mountain of Fire" "Fire Mountain"; Gandalf uses the word in his fire-making spell, when the Company is attacked by wargs in Hollin:

Translating essentially as "Fire be for the saving of us! Fire against the wolf-horde!"

As we're supposed to be posting artwork here, I include a vintage button I have, featuring the spell around the perimeter:

The central words are English: "Go Go Gandalf" (hey, it is from the 60s, after all 😄).

 

[ZehnWaters]

Ya, it looks like Eredlithui written as a single word. The final u and i are connected cursive style with the dot for the final i floating way up high.

Also, that ring of mountains due west of Lake Nurnen looks interesting, like a dormant volcanic caldera with a giant upheaval mountain in the center...a perfect locale for Mordor's version of Gondolin, maybe.

A collapsed caldera, perhaps. And there's a thought: an Elven city right next to Mordor. Hidden.

There's also a river or road leading from Baraddur down to Nurnen.

I believe that's a geographic feature, not an "o" on the map, and Tolkien skipped over it in putting in the letters of "naur". There are other examples of this practice on his part.

Ah, yes that looks to be the case now.

"Naur" being "fire" leads to "Mountain of Fire" "Fire Mountain";
As we're supposed to be posting artwork here, I include a vintage button I have, featuring the spell around the perimeter:
View attachment 36787
The central words are English: "Go Go Gandalf" (hey, it is from the 60s, after all 😄).

lol Nice. "Go Go Gandalf Ranger!" *'90s electric guitar riff*

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

*'90s electric guitar riff*

Well, as I said, it's from the 60s, so more:

 

[ZehnWaters]

Well, as I said, it's from the 60s, so more:
View attachment 36816
View attachment 36817
View attachment 36818

My goodness that last gif is nightmare fuel.

 

[Berzelmayr]

Sauron by
wroniec
https://x.com/wrroniec

 

[Halasían]

Celebrimbor and Annatar forging Rings.
One source credits this as being done by Alan Lee, but I wasnt able to verify it.

The two trees of Valinor. Artist unknown.

 

[Maedhros_Nelyafinwë]

New from redreyenotarget, one of my favorite Silm artists. I've always loved her Maedhros, and this might be my favorite picture of him she's yet done.

 

[Berzelmayr]

Elrond by Rene Gross

 

[Berzelmayr]

Mumakil by Gellihana-art

 

[Berzelmayr]

Gandalf and Bilbo by Tim Kirk (1974)

 

[d4rk3lf]

It's great painting and all...
But...

Gandalf looks a bit like he is turning into Nazgul.

 

[Berzelmayr]

On watch in Moria
art by Matthew Stewart

 

[Berzelmayr]

The Death of Theoden
by JG Jones