I saw a thread recently on Twitter about how bad the covers for the hobbit were from the mid 90s which lead to loads of people posting covers of LOTR and The Hobbit book art. And so I posted my own experience. The books I had read, my moms copies, were far and away some of the nicest of the lot. These felt whimsical and fun very much in line with Tolkien’s original drawing for the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Barbara Remington illustrated them for the 1965 paperback editions, one of the most widely know editions to that time. She designed them all quickly, without having read the books. And I think they are just wonderful.
Though Ms. Remington regretted being unable to read “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” before illustrating them, she was ultimately happy with the way her artwork came out.
“After reading his work, I was in awe of Tolkien,” she said. “I knew there was something special about him. If I read ‘The Lord of the Rings’ first, I don’t think I could have drawn the cover art.”
Barbara also moved to New York City in the early 60’s and was active in the Beat Movement of the time. Extended interview with her at Tolkien Collectors Guide.
Tolkien actually didnt much care for Barbaras work, not understanding what some of the animals (whats that, a lion?) and plants (are those… pumpkins?) being depicted were. And thats too bad, but she hadnt read the book, so, get over it I guess. I Love Barbara’s work, just as I love Cor Blok, who’s depictions were also called out by tolkien for not being accurate, though he did like them. People can make up whatever visuals they like that suit them. Its partly an act of creation in reading, imagining the world you hear described.
Coincidentally, the bad cover from the hobbit in the 90’s? That was the art on the version I read then as well.
Barbara Remington Obitutary — New York Times
Barbara Remington illustrated Map of Middle Earth in the same style and with many of the same elements as the 1965 paperback cover.
Michael Herring illustrated 90s covers. The ‘bad’ covers mentioned above. Its too bad, the rendering quality is nice, they just seem a bit hokey compared to the graphic colorful 1965 version or Tolkien’s own drawings which are cute and a bit naive.
