Tolkienography – Isuldur’s Bane & Iconic Interpretations Book

Jay Johnstones Tolkienography, Isildur’s Bane with commentary by Thomas Honegger

“…one of the most interesting works on Tolkien published in many years.”
Lance A. Green – The Journal of Inklings Studies

This review is published in the Journal of Inklings Studies 10, no. 2 (2020), 227–229.

Tolkienography invites a deep immersion in Tolkien’s myth through the artwork of Jay Johnstone, who has been painting Tolkien-themed illustrations for about thirty years. Together with Thomas Honegger’s commentary, Tolkienography offers a novel artistic rendering of Tolkien’s sub-creation, provoking new interpretations of its characters and essential themes.’ ‘Printed with colourful clarity, the styles and techniques of Johnstone’s pieces are different enough to avoid any redundancy for the viewer. Colours, spacing, and characters are varied with each turn of the page, as are the painting techniques, which range from more contemporary styles to those mirroring medieval forms, including frescos and Byzantine iconography. Johnstone’s oils and charcoal works certainly capture the imagination: the charcoal and chalk of the Council of Elrond (25), the oil on canvas of Isildur’s death in the river Anduin (35, 39), and the binding of Melkor (41) all wonderfully convey character and scene. An immense oil and gold-leaf rendering of Gandalf atop Shadowfax riding into Helm’s Deep (49–50) is one of the most striking paintings in the book, afforded two full pages in order to capture its immensity. Yet the artwork that crowns and guides Tolkienoraphy is the Byzantine-styled iconographic paintings of Tolkien’s characters.’

Lance A. Green – The Journal of Inklings Studies This review is published in the Journal of Inklings Studies 10, no. 2 (2020), 227–229.

See the full review on the Edinburgh University Press Website

https://doi.org/10.3366/ink.2020.0086 

Each book is individually numbered (500), dated and signed by the artist and comes in a luxurious matt back foiled presentation box.