Day - Illustrated World of Tolkien

GANDALF

LIDIA POSTMA

T he Illustrated World of Tolkien is a gallery of some of the finest Tolkien-inspired art from a unique and exclusive picture library that has been created over the last 40 years. It began with the 1979 publication of A Tolkien Bestiary: the first fully illustrated readers guide to Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. A Tolkien Bestiary appeared just two years after the posthumous publication of J R R Tolkiens The Silmarillion: a book that for the first time gave readers of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings some indication of the immense scope of Tolkiens mythology and cosmology.

In 1992, A Tolkien Bestiary was updated and expanded with new illustrators in the more comprehensive Tolkien: the Illustrated Encyclopaedia. Then again, in 2002, another gathering of artists resulted in the creation of The World of Tolkien: Mythological Sources of Lord of the Rings.

In 2013, the decision was made to begin what became a comprehensive, yet compact, six-volume reference library on J.R.R Tolkiens Middle-earth and the Undying Lands in a uniformly designed series of handsome flexi-bound books. In this exciting new format, beyond providing comprehensive texts, the library is gorgeously illustrated by a combination of established artists and fresh new talents, packaged in attractive and collectible editions.

The Illustrated World of Tolkien is curated from all of these nine books. And here, with the large format provided by The Illustrated World of Tolkien, we can not only celebrate some of the finest Tolkien-inspired art gathered over the past 40 years, but also provide the opportunity to celebrate the artists themselves. And indeed, give voice to the artists themselves by providing them with this avenue to share their own stories, sources of inspiration, and reveal something of their lives.

With The Illustrated World of Tolkien, you wont need to be an expert in Elvish to find your way around Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. It has been written and organized in a way that is both informative and accessible to the general reader. The book is mostly written for those who have read at least one of the books or have seen the movies and wish to read the books. It is also, of course, for those who know Tolkien well, and just wish to immerse themselves in art that celebrates Tolkiens world.

Quite by serendipity, this reference library series strongly resembles another collectible series of beautiful, illustrated books that inspired Tolkiens childhood fascination with fairy tales and myths. This was Andrew Langs famous Fairy Book series (1889-1910) that introduced the young Tolkien to the nameless North of Sigurd of the Vlsungs, and the prince of all dragons. Like Andrew Langs famous multi-volume Fairy Books of Many Colours, each of our collectible, illustrated reference library books is distinguished by a different colour.

It has been one of the great pleasures of my life that in the making of many beautiful books, I have collaborated with so many wonderful artists. This is certainly true with this book. However, the broad range of my writing extends from fantasy and mythology, to poetry and childrens literature, to history, ecology and natural history. And in each, I have worked with and been published with many of the remarkable artists and illustrators. From the extraordinary and outrageous like Ralph Steadman and Gerald Scarfe, to living legends like impressionist Feliks Topolski and the great wildlife artist, Maurice Wilson. And beyond the array of artists in this Tolkien reference collection, I also number as friends and colleagues two of the most celebrated Tolkien illustrators: Alan Lee and John Howe. Alan Lee and I have produced two beautiful books: Castles in 1984 and Tolkiens Ring in 1994. With John Howe, I toured the castles of the Rhine in the making of the documentary Looking for the HobbitThe Lost God of the Rhine in 2014.

For the purposes of The Illustrated World of Tolkien, we decided to produce a book of illustrations unique to this series, and independent of the images appearing in the popular media of films and motion pictures. In this book, I am pleased to be able to reveal a treasure trove of illustrations of Tolkiens world that has grown and gathered over the last four decades. The aim is to reveal something of the imaginative sweep and splendour of Tolkiens epic world. But it is also to involve the reader to discover something of the artists experience, inspiration and vision in the creation of these works of art.

In The Illustrated World of Tolkien we celebrate both the art and the artist.

THE GREY HAVENS

MICHAEL FOREMAN

TUOR AND VORONW SEEK GONDOLIN

KIP RASMUSSEN

PERMISSION KIP RASMUSSEN

I am a family therapist by trade and have spent most of my career trying to help people and their families with all kinds of emotional struggles. But, like millions of others, I turn to the works of Tolkien to recharge. I love The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit but, for me The Silmarillion ranks as one of the pre-eminent works of art ever created. I was so struck by it that I craved seeing the images in paint. At first, I was very hesitant because I wasnt an experienced painter but still wanted to do justice to the mighty work. Then I found some encouragement in the words of the great man himself: