Museum-Quality Matte Paper Print available in two sizes:
12" x 16" (30cm x 40cm): $35.00
24" x 32" (60cm x 80cm): $48.00
“They possessed from the first the art of disappearing swiftly and silently, when large folk whom they do not wish to meet come blundering by; and this art they have developed until to men it may seem magical.” - The Fellowship of the Ring, Prologue: Concerning Hobbits
Maybe you know a big Tolkien fan who lives in a house or works in an office where they can't exactly hang a picture of Glorfindel on his steed without comment. So maybe this is just a nice spring landscape of a lovely wood of oak and beech, cow parsley and bluebell. Or...maybe there are 15 hobbits hiding in this wood whom only friendly eyes can see! If you hang this print and can spend time enjoying finding and visiting with the hobbits in it, no one need know but you and the Little Folk.
We know from J.R.R. Tolkien that hobbits have become hard to find in our present Age, and that they had to become an increasingly hidden people due to the incursions of the age of Men. Yet, I have believed from early childhood that I might catch sight of a hobbit around the next tree trunk or bend of the road if I had very good luck. This original, hand done painting captures that spirit of hopefulness which I know is shared by many J.R.R. Tolkien readers.
In Looking for the Hidden Folk, scholar and Tolkien fan Nancy Marie Brown asserts that many Western societies have spent all of the centuries since the Protestant Reformation busily disenchanting themselves from nature and myth, with drastic ecological consequences. Removed from a sense of the sacred in wondrous primary Creation, mankind is too apt to turn green and pleasant Shires into industrial wastelands. Fortunately, we are seeing an absolutely essential response to this in the green movements of young people around the world, and in writings like the encyclical of Pope Francis on climate change, which urges people everywhere to act with great love for the protection of our common home. We all have some scouring to do!
For many Tolkien fans, the hobbits’ love of their quiet green country, with few machines, plenty to eat, and an abundance of peace, is all their hearts could possibly desire. We hope we might be the ones whom the hobbits would emerge from hiding to greet and befriend. Hanging your print of this promising scene of possibilities in your home or office can be a private testimonial of your values, shared with kindred spirits as the happy occasion arises. A wonderful gift for fellow Tolkien fans who are looking for a quiet way to celebrate what they love, and also, an excellent choice for a children’s room, where a game can be made of finding the hobbits.
A personal promise from me: if, after much looking, you are unable to locate all 15 of the hidden hobbits, feel free to contact me for help.