Art & Artists Inspired by J.R.R.Tolkien

Parmastahir · Post by **Parmastahir** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:32 pm

Hello to All -

Posted a classic for the February Calendar of the Month at:

www.tolkiencalendars.com

With the 2010 issues catalogued, there are now 320 calendars listed.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the winter (whether you're in the Northern or Southern hemisphere!)

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:33 pm

I don't know if enjoying is the right word, Parmastahir, it's colder than the Northern Waste here at the moment

.

Great to see those beautiful Pauline Baynes maps again. Especially the first one, I'd forgotten how beautiful it is. Nice photo of the Professor!

Parmastahir · Post by **Parmastahir** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 10:28 pm

Posted another classic for the March Calendar of the Month feature at:

www.tolkiencalendars.com

Thanks for looking in!

Happy Spring to all!

Away from The (soon to be) Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:22 pm

Happy spring to you too

!

There are a few of Kirk's paintings in that calendar that I've never seen before, though I knew my favourite - 'The Well in Moria' (June). I've never seen 'Mirrormere' (July) before, it's delightful!

Parmastahir · Post by **Parmastahir** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:54 am

Hello Iolanthe -

If you (especially) enjoyed the March CotM, then I will consider it a success, and I am very pleased that you enjoyed it. I must tell you that several of those who purchased the 2010 HI/NETS calendar commented most positively on your illustration. Even more telling of its beauty is the fact that those comments were unsolicited by me. I know that I have said it before, but it bears repeating: "Thag you very buch" for sharing it with us (at least the 80 or so were fortunate enough to receive one this year.) I hope that you are enjoying yours!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parm

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:58 am

I am enjoying it - it's wonderful!

Thank you, Parmastahir

. I'm glad people have enjoyed the painting. Makes me think I should do a few more in that style!

Parmastahir · Post by **Parmastahir** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:55 pm

Posted a new Calendar of the Month for April at:

www.tolkiencalendars.com

This one is a new (2010) issue. Hope you enjoy it!

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

p.s. - Stayed tuned for BIG NEWS about the 2011 HI/NETS calendar!

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:29 pm

February is one scary piece of work

. but I love the Fimbrethil for April and Nimrodel for May! It's also great to see that someone has had a go at Roverandom.

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:47 pm

Unless I miss my guess, the "Standard of Sauron" depicted for February is the dead body of Celebrimbor, which was used as Sauron's standard after the decimation of Hollin. Celebrimbor would not reveal the location of the three Elven Rings, even under torture. A grisly but effective piece indeed!

Parmastahir · Post by **Parmastahir** » Sun Apr 04, 2010 11:08 pm

Hi Lindariel -

Thanks for clearing up what the 'Standard of Sauron' represents. Guess I will have to read The Silmarillion again (having attempted it once when I was not aware of what it represents, and having completed it only once after I was.) In any case, that one is certainly unique among the several thousand illustrations in the calendars that I have collected. I also like Nimrodel (as I like illustrations that are more interpretive than realistic.) But my favorite is November (La Puerta Negra.)

Away from The Green Hill Country,

Parmastahir

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 2:48 am

Parmastahir, you would need to turn to the Unfinished Tales to find the account of the death of Celebrimbor. It is only alluded to in The Silmarillion. Here are a few excerpts from the Unfinished Tales concerning Celebrimbor's death:

When Sauron learned of the repentance and revolt of Celebrimbor his disguise fell and his wrath was revealed; and gathering a great force he moved over Calenardhon (Rohan) to the invasion of Eriador in the year 1695. When news of this reached Gil-Galad he sent out a force under Elrond Half-Elven; but Elrond had far to go, and Sauron turned north and made at once for Eregion . . . . At last the attackers broke into Eregion with ruin and devastation, and captured the chief object of Sauron's assault, the House of the Mirdain, where were their smithies and their treasures. Celebrimbor, desperate, himself withstood Sauron on the steps of the great door of the Mirdain; but he was grappled and taken captive, and the House was ransacked. There Sauron took the Nine Rings and other lesser works of the Mirdain; but the Seven and the Three he could not find. Then Celebrimbor was put to torment, and Sauron learned from him where the Seven were bestowed. This Celebrimbor revealed, because neither the Seven nor the Nine did he value as he valued the Three; the Seven and the Nine were made with Sauron's aid, whereas the Three were made by Celebrimbor alone, with a different power and purpose . . . . Concerning the Three Rings Sauron could learn nothing from Celebrimbor; and he had him put to death . . . . In black anger he turned back to battle; and bearing as a banner Celebrimbor's body hung upon a pole, shot through with Orc-arrows, he turned upon the forces of Elrond.

Grisly stuff, huh? I would NOT have wanted to be Celebrimbor!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:47 am

Hey, and Happy Easter to you all, too!

I wonder if there is some historical precedence for this or if Tolkien's own mind thought that one up?

marbretherese · Post by **marbretherese** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:56 am

It's an amazing calendar - I love the May illustration - and the February one is extremely powerful. Carrying on in the tradition of Spanish artists prepared to show the dark side of things!

My tame historian (Jonick) can't recall any historical precedent for carrying bodies of victims into battle. The most grisly thing we can come up with is the English sticking the heads of beheaded traitors on pikes at Traitor's Gate in the Tower of London.

However, a quick Google does bring up accounts of dead bodies strung up on barbed wire in the First World War trenches. So I wonder if Tolkien got the idea from his wartime experiences, or from studying some ancient text?

Iolanthe · Post by **Iolanthe** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:25 am

This is all really interesting. I'd forgotten there was more about Celebrimbor's end in the Unfinished Tales. It very well could be that the image has come from grisly WW1 experiences

. And I was also wondering if there was a parallel in some old Norse text or legend but haven't managed to find anything.

The painting is a very powerful image of something that's quite hard to depict!

Lindariel · Post by **Lindariel** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:16 pm

I thought immediately of the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Wasn't he strung up on a pole and shot full of arrows? There are numerous paintings of his martyrdom that are quite reminiscent of the February entry for Parmastahir's wonderful Spanish calendar. Being a devout Catholic, The Profesor would certainly have known about Saint Sebastian. I think his martyrdom, along with the grisly images from WWI could very well have influenced Tolkien's vision of the ultimate fate of Celebrimbor.

Art & Artists Inspired by J.R.R.Tolkien

February CotM

March CotM

A Small Success

April CotM

2010 S.T.E.