In this post I’ll be looking at some Russian hobbit illustrations I found that were not published, at least not in a book, as far as I know.
This sweet pic depicts, I think, Gandalf and Bilbo after their adventure sharing a quiet moment together, or perhaps some ho-yay?** Gandalf is not wearing his usual hat and robe and instead sports Slavic wear, including some clunky clogs with sheepskin ankle wraps. There’s a Russian-style samovar by his left hand likely containing hot chai.
Or perhaps the scene depicts Aragorn, visiting and comforting Frodo after the tumultuous events of The Return of the King. He’s not so grand a king that he doesn’t travel among his own people sometimes. There, that’s it.
Another Slavic Aragorn with two hobbits who may be Frodo and Sam, or Merry and Pippin. I think it’s the latter because of how they’re acting; I don’t sense Frodo’s angst here. Aragorn — or Boromir maybe? — looks exasperated as they clown around. For some reason the artist left off their big, hairy feet.
This pic must have been created after the Peter Jackson trilogy, as Gollum is humanoid and nearly naked but for his loincloth. He looks stumped by Bilbo’s riddle.
It’s Bilbo that’s the surprise here — with his slim build and delicate face, he looks more elf than hobbit.
A very slim, childlike Bilbo holding the Arkenstone (and hiding behind a pillar) as Thorin crouches with his hand to his head, wondering “Where the heck did that dang gem go?” Note Bilbo’s guilty look! And the elven chain mail he wears under his clothing. His feet don’t have the all-over hairy quality of earlier hobbits, but they do have hair, as well as black toenails/claws, making them look rather squirrel-like. That’s new!
Art by Kay Woollard
I’m not sure if this hobbit is truly Russian because there’s English text at the bottom. But his feet sure are!
** A slashy M/M relationship.
