The Art of Alan Lee: 13 LOTR Paintings Leapt from Canvas to Film

In 1991, Alan Lee's illustrated edition of The Lord of the Rings left an indelible mark on our imagination and shaped our perception of Middle-earth. Little did he know that his artwork would catch the attention of a relatively unknown New Zealand filmmaker then, named Peter Jackson. Fast forward six years and the opportunity arose for Jackson to translate Tolkien's literary prose into motion pictures on the big screen.

As Peter Jackson embarked on the pre-production preparations, his thoughts were locked into the visions of Lee. Among the original 49 paintings by Alan Lee for The Lord of The Rings, Jackson meticulously translated 13 of them to the big screen with remarkable fidelity. Every aspect was painstakingly recreated, from perspective and composition to angles, shadows, lighting, and overall mood. Even the movement within the painting was faithfully captured in a cinematic Mise-en-scène that mirrored the original artwork.

This video showcases the remarkable convergence of two visionary minds, illuminating the profound impact of Lee's artistry on the visual landscape of Arda and Middle Earth.

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00:00 Intro
00:54 The Shadow of the Past
01:44 The Eastern Arches
02:32 The Taming of Sméagol
03:18 The Plains of Rohan
03:52 The Passage of the Marches
04:34 The Black Gate is Closed
05:13 Edoras
06:00 The Voice of Saruman
06:44 The Battle of the Hornburg
07:20 Minas Tirith
08:28 The Steward of Gondor
09:10 Homeward Bound