I did not know this: Tove Jansson (moomin-creator) did illustrations for the 1962 Swedish edition of The Hobbit (courtesy Babel Hobbits, a repository for international Hobbit illustrations). They range from Quentin Blake-ishly sketched storm giants, to what is now my favorite rendering of the depths of Mirkwood. I don’t understand how Jansson always manages to combine qualities of both warmth and chill in her art.
Also, her Gollum is something else – towering over Bilbo, he looks unexpectedly like a wodwo or a Green Man, though I can’t think what his wreath might be made of. (Dried bats?)
——-
Via the ever-loyal but outrageously busy Kakaner: carved book landscapes by Guy Laramee. Mute, contemplative, eerily lit. I’ve seen my fair share of altered-book art, but as Kakaner put it, “This gives me the shivers in a good and bad way. More bad though.” (But bad in a good way, I would add!)
– E
I read that the first illustrators of the Hobbit mistakenly drew Gollum as huge, until Tolkien sent them straight. I presume Tove wasn’t one of the first illustrators, perhaps the memo didn’t reach Finland.
Has Emera seen the second film yet?
Was this person Finnish or Swedish? I thought the moomin trolls were from Finland, but I don’t know.
Tove Jansson was indeed Finnish, but also spoke Swedish (which is Finland’s other national language).
mistakenly drew Gollum as huge
What an interesting tidbit! I find it impossible to unhook my Gollum-impression from the first (hobbit-sized) illustration that I saw of him, not to mention all those that came thereafter, so I can’t put myself in the place of those early illustrators… There is something extra-unnerving about all of his malice and cunning coming in a hobbit-sized package, of course.
I have not yet seen the second installment, no, though I look forward to it as it’s becoming a holiday tradition with my dad. Have you? Thoughts??
Haven’t seen it yet.