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Tolkien Graphics: John Howe
J R R Tolkien Graphics

John Howe's illustrations display a dynamic and imaginative interpretation of Tolkien's Middle Earth.
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J R R Tolkien Graphics

John Howe Tolkien Graphics

J R R Tolkien Graphics

John Howe Tolkien Graphics

These images below are thumbnail images. Click on a thumbnail to load the full size version which resides at The University of Sweden.

This work is featured on the 1984 Tolkien Calendar.

The full size images can be very large. I give the size of the full scale image file is in bytes. Even the thumbnails are large enough to be usable.

You can right–click either the thumbnail or full size image and save a copy to your system. Please do this if you want a copy. Please do not reference this page on Gandolf dot Com in an anchor tag; use your copy instead.


This page relies on the work of Brad Spencer and his page eldar.org Tolkien Art Gallery. Brad's page allows you to group pictures into one request; this page is designed for individual, one at a time down loading.

Glorfindel and the Balrog

howe01.jpg This painting and is featured as November in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

The elflord Glorfindel battles the fell servant of Morgoth.

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Company of the King Approaching Caradhras

howe02.jpg This painting is featured as January in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

Frodo and the other eight search for a way through to Lorien.

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Dark Tower

howe03.jpg This painting is featured as February in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World and well as the cover art of the same.

In a low hesitating voice Pippin began again, and slowly his words grew stronger and clearer. "I saw a dark sky, and tall battlements," he said. "And tiny stars. It seemed very far away and long ago, yet hard and clear. Then the stars went in and out — they were cut off by things with wings. Very big, I thing, really; but in the glass they looked like bats wheeling round the tower. I thought there were nine of them. One began to fly straight towards me, getting bigger and bigger…."

The Two Towers

Eowyn and Nazgul

howe05.jpg This painting is featured as September in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

The shieldmadden, Eowyn, slays the Lord of the Nazgul.

The Return of the King

At the Ford

howe05.jpg This painting is featured as June in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

Frodo confronts Nazgul at the Ford of Bruinen.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Galadriel

howe06.jpg This painting is featured as April in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

The Queen of the Golden Wood.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Gandalf

howe07.jpg This painting is featured as May in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World.

When evening in the Shire was grey
his footsteps on the Hill were heard;
before the dawn he went away
on journey long without a word.

From Wilderland in Western shore,
from northern waste to southern hill,
through dragon–lair and hidden door
and darkling woods he walked at will.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Turambar and Glorund

howe08.jpg This painting is featured as August in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World.

Then abiding until a very vital and undefended spot was within stroke, he heaved up Glurtholfin his black sword and stabbed with all his strength above his head, and that magic blade of the Rodothlim went into the vitals of the dragon even to the hilt, and the yell of his death–pain rent the woods and all that heard it were aghast.

The Book of Lost Tales, Volume Two

Glorfindel and the Balrog

howe09.jpg In Mordor

This painting is featured as October in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World.

It was hard enough for poor Sam, tired as he was; but for Frodo it was a torment, and soon a nightmare.

The Return of the King

Old Man Willow

howe10.jpg This painting is featured as the cover art as well as July, 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar.

One hobbit notices another trapped by Old Man Willow in the Old Forest.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Sam and Shelob

howe11.jpg This painting is featured as March, 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World.

Now the miserable creature was right under her, for the moment out of the reach of her sting and her claws. Her vast belly was above him with its putrid light, and the stench of it almost smote him down.

The Two Towers

Minas Tirith

howe12.jpg
Brad Spenser says:
It is a little bit of a mystery where this exact painting came from, the center, city only, part is titled Minas Tirith and is featured as December in the 1991 J.R.R. Tolkien calendar and is present in Tolkien's World.

And there where the White Mountains of Ered Nimrais came to their end he saw, as Gandalf had promised, the dark mass of Mount Mindolluin, the deep purple shadows of its high glens, and its tall face whitening in the rising day. And upon its out–thrust knee was the Guarded City, with its seven walls of stone so strong and old that it seemed to have been not builded but carven by giants out of the bones of the earth.

The Return of the King