Peter Jackson’s interpretation of The Lord of the Rings is so dominant in our collective consciousness that it’s easy to forget that it’s just one possible visualization of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. A 1993 Russian edition of the novel provides a very different take. The illustrations are inspired by the Medieval art styles of traditional iconography and so-called “illuminated manuscripts” of the bible. It looks nothing like the picturesque, multi-million dollar world inhabited by Elijah Wood and Ian McKellan, and it gives the story a completely different feel that — one could argue — is more suited to Tolkien’s work. There are many more illustrations on this Tumblr blog — just be sure to check all four pages for the whole collection.
Russian ‘Lord of the Rings’ illustrations take Middle-earth to the Middle Ages
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