Middle-earth Journeys

I've now had a chance to look at my copy of the calendar properly. It's wonderful. My favourites are the simpler pieces - I'm so glad Cor Blok agreed to share The Stairs of Cirith Ungol with us - it's very touching. And I love the Ents - each one representing a specific tree in a really simple, instantly recognisable way. I also love Boromir and Aragorn in The Chamber of Mazarbul - they look like a pair of gangsters in their big black hats

Until I read his introduction to the calendar, I'd forgotten that Cor Blok himself invented a world which he expressed through art - Barbusia - which forms a neat parallel to the fact that Tolkien invented a world which he expressed initially through languages.

The introduction included some fascinating tidbits of background to some of the paintings. If a book of the paintings was ever published, with more information about each one, I would certainly buy it. But perhaps the artist is too busy with his current projects!!

Thank you M for more information. How will I ever make it till August.

I'm equally anxious, Philipa. Can't WAIT to see The Stairs of Cirith Ungol. That is hands down the most compelling and moving moment in The Professor's entire tale, and I am really excited to see how Mr. Blok depicts it.

You won't be disappointed. The painting is very pared down and simple and just let's the moment speak for itself. The faces of the two sleeping Hobbits is really affecting.

I keep going back to the marching ents, especially the spiky holly ent with the bright red arms! I also love the way that the eyes of Merry, Pippin and Treebeard are all on a level. The way the two Hobbit's are looking in at him is priceless.

Many thanks to Jan for sending these along from the Cor Blok calendar.


THE FORD OF BRUINEN



THE FORBIDDEN POOL



THE STAIRS OF CIRITH UNGOL



THE JOURNEY ON THE RIVER ANDUIN



THE SLAYING OF THE NAZGUL



THE CROSS ROADS

© Cor Blok

Thanks, Cor and Jan, for letting us have a look at these. They are as evocative as everyone says they are. The use of texture and color and space are really interesting.

I have a question, though, for Cor, if you're reading this. Why do you imagine Gollum as having a kind of beak?

Merry, you stole my question! Is the "beak" intended perhaps to be a long snout, since The Professor often describes Gollum as "sniffing"?

Mr. Blok, please know that I love, love, LOVE these paintings and cannot WAIT to receive my calendar in order to appreciate them in greater detail! However, I live in the U.S. and must wait until August.

Presents!!

So grateful to Jan and to Cor Blok for allowing these paintings to be posted on MEJ so that everone can see them. They deserve as wide an audience as possible (which is why I'm so glad we have a Cor Blok Tolkien Calendar this year!).

Any chance Jan could share with us the painting of the Ents that both marbretherese and Iolanthe love so much?

Lindariel wrote:Any chance Jan could share with us the painting of the Ents that both marbretherese and Iolanthe love so much?

It would be a joy to see it I'm sure.

As you all noticed Tolkien Calendar 2011 will feature the art by Cor Blok. Hope you all like it. In Tolkien illustration this probably about the complete other end compared to the works we have seen the last several years (Alan Lee, John Howe, Ted Nasmith,...) - still I hope Cor Blok's art can be appreciated by many. I would describe his art as wonderfully odd, but incredible fascinating.

At the moment I'm doing a lot of research on the art of Cor Blok and wanted to see if there are any members here that could help me out a little.

For example, who attended the SF convention in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, in November 1994? Who bought the Cor Blok paintings that were on display there (n° 18, 19 and 20) or took pictures of them? The convention was called Hillcon V and Seal-Con... all info is welcome! In fact, all info on Cor Blok's paintings is more then welcome!

Does have anyone have more info on the exhibition (and selling) of Cor Blok's art on SF conventions in the 90's? It is quit important to find correct info about this to really understand how his paintings were put on the market and got dispersed. At the moment I'm especially trying to locate all current owners of his paintings.

I'm especially looking for info on the following paintings:
Isengard
Ephel Dúath
Sam attacks Shelob
The game of riddles
Weathertop
The Last Bridge
Minas Morgul

All help is very welcome!

Are you doing this research for your own pleasure, Beren, or do you intend to publish it in some form? Good luck in finding the owners of the paintings. I would assume that most of them remain in Europe, right?

I'm actually convinced some sold to America... and probably to Poland. Some are in UK, France, Finland,... so I have to look beyond European borders as well! I'm always doing research for my own pleasure, and always in projects I believe in. But one never knows what can happen? A publication? Would be very nice, right!

Right! It would be very nice. I'd buy a book on Blok's work like a shot. Good luck with the research, you never know what may turn up and I'll ask around at Oxonmoot.