The Art of the Hobbit

When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote HOBBIT he had become an accomplished amateur artist, and he was keen to contribute visually to the work. The finished book contained eight black and white drawings, five colour plates, two maps and his own jacket design. But behind these finished works there also lay a multitude of sketches and drawings, draft maps and runic designs, demonstrating Tolkien’s careful planning and artistry. Indeed, every major artist who has illustrated the book subsequently has been influenced by Tolkien’s own powerful visual conceptions.

THE ART OF THE HOBBIT collects for the first time the complete surviving artwork that helped to underpin such a remarkable work of fiction. Written and edited by Tolkien experts Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, authors of the acclaimed biography TOLKIEN: ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR this book uses brand new digital scans from the Bodleian Library in Oxford to show off Tolkien’s paintings in more vivid detail than ever before, making this a worthy and lasting tribute to a largely overlooked side of Tolkien’s genius.

About the Author

J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 50 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide. Wayne G. Hammond is a librarian at the Chapin Library of Rare Books at Williams College, Massachusetts. Christina Scull is the former librarian of Sir John Soane's Museum, London. As well as publishing books in their own names, together they have written 'J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator', The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion' and the two-volume 'J.R.R.Tolkien Companion and Guide'.