Tolkien Etchings

Graphite Drawing 

11 x 15 inches

This drawing from J.R.R.Tolkien’s, The Lord of the Rings, depicts the moment when Samwise Gamgee, after breaking free from Gollum, sees Shelob standing over Frodo Baggings, and charges her with his own sword, and Sting. On the brink of Mordor just beyond the cave, this is one of several strong images that are conjured in my mind by the very long sequence  where Frodo and Sam are waylaid by Shelob. In my etching “The Courage of Samwise”, I depict the moment where Sam stabs Shelob. Also, though I’m not sure whether to do it as a drawing or an etching, the part of the sequence where Sam holds up the Phial of Galadriel to Shelob, temporarily blinding her would also make a great “light” piece ala Rembrandt, or perhaps Grunewald.