Did Tolkien Ever Draw an Ent or Huron?

[R.R.J Tolkien]

I was just wondering if he ever drew a picture or sketch of how he visualized the ents.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

No. He painted or drew very little for The Lord of the Rings- and for "Fangorn" he just recycled an old picture of Taur-nu-Fuin from the 20s!

[Morthoron]

I don't believe Tolkien ever drew a "Huron", but he did enjoy stories about "red Indians" immensely as a boy.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by R.R.J Tolkien

I was just wondering if he ever drew a picture or sketch of how he visualized the ents.

I would say 'not intentionally'. I would actually swear I've seen a Tolkien drawing of either Wellinghall or Treebeard's viewpoint somewhere, but I can't track it down. Other than that possibility, I don't know of him ever drawing anything from Fangorn.

... but.

As WCH has already mentioned:

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

No. He painted or drew very little for The Lord of the Rings- and for "Fangorn" he just recycled an old picture of Taur-nu-Fuin from the 20s!

There is this painting, which was labelled up as 'Fangorn Forest', but originally painted as Beleg finding Turin in the Nightshade. It's pretty obvious when you pay attention, because the moving figure has a huge long sword at his waist. But arguably, since Tolkien himself redefined the picture as Fangorn, it could be read as telling us what Merry and Pippin looked like - and theoretically, one of those trees might be Treebeard.

But probably not.

But you didn't just ask about Ents; you asked about Huorns as well, and there's a much more solid answer there. If Huorns are trees which are 'awake', and rather malevolent besides, then there's a strong case to be made that Old Man Willow is one. And Tolkien did draw a rather lovely picture of the Willow-man. So (if you accept that OMW is a Huorn) the answer is 'yes'.

... but not intentionally, because Old Man Willow was invented well before the Huorns, at a time when Tolkien was still using 'Ent' to mean 'giant'.

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I don't believe Tolkien ever drew a "Huron", but he did enjoy stories about "red Indians" Immensely as a boy.

I have to admit this made me giggle. ^_^

hS

[R.R.J Tolkien]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

I would say 'not intentionally'. I would actually swear I've seen a Tolkien drawing of either Wellinghall or Treebeard's viewpoint somewhere, but I can't track it down. Other than that possibility, I don't know of him ever drawing anything from Fangorn.

... but.

As WCH has already mentioned:



There is this painting, which was labelled up as 'Fangorn Forest', but originally painted as Beleg finding Turin in the Nightshade. It's pretty obvious when you pay attention, because the moving figure has a huge long sword at his waist. But arguably, since Tolkien himself redefined the picture as Fangorn, it could be read as telling us what Merry and Pippin looked like - and theoretically, one of those trees might be Treebeard.

But probably not.

But you didn't just ask about Ents; you asked about Huorns as well, and there's a much more solid answer there. If Huorns are trees which are 'awake', and rather malevolent besides, then there's a strong case to be made that Old Man Willow is one. And Tolkien did draw a rather lovely picture of the Willow-man. So (if you accept that OMW is a Huorn) the answer is 'yes'.

... but not intentionally, because Old Man Willow was invented well before the Huorns, at a time when Tolkien was still using 'Ent' to mean 'giant'.



I have to admit this made me giggle. ^_^

hS

Great post thanks.

[R.R.J Tolkien]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

I don't believe Tolkien ever drew a "Huron", but he did enjoy stories about "red Indians" immensely as a boy.