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Tale of Tuor, Part 2: Journey to the Sea

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But when Tuor had lived thus in solitude as an outlaw for four years, Ulmo set it in his heart to depart from the land of his fathers, for he had chosen Tuor as the instrument of his designs; and leaving once more the caves of Androth he went westwards across Dor-lómin. But even as dim dusk came on the third day of his journey, Tuor found before him a wall of rock, and there was an opening therein like a great arch; and the stream passed in and was lost. Then Tuor was dismayed, and he said: "So my hope has cheated me! The sign in the hills has led me only to dark end in the midst of the land of my enemies." But even as the light of the coming sun shone pale in the far mists of Mithrim, Tuor heard voices, and looking down he saw in amazement two Elves that waded in the shallow water. So he found Annon-in-Gelydh, the Gate of the Noldor, which the people of Turgon built when they dwelt in Nevrast long years before.
Thence a dark tunnel led beneath the mountains, and issued into Cirith Ninniach, the Rainbow Cleft, through which a turbulent water ran towards the western sea. The sun rose behind his back and set before his face, and where the water foamed among the boulders or rushed over sudden falls, at morning and evening rainbows were woven across the stream. High hills now marched on either side, and fresh waters spilled from them into Cirith Ninniach over shimmering falls. Then he lifted up his voice, and plucked the strings of his harp, and above the noise of the water the sound of his song and the sweet thrilling of the harp were echoed in the stone and multiplied.
And Tuor came into Nevrast, and looking upon Belegaer the Great Sea he was enamoured of it, and the sound of it and the longing for it were ever in his heart and ear, and an unquiet was on him that took him at last into the depths of the realms of Ulmo. Then he dwelt in Nevrast alone, and the summer of that year passed, and the doom of Nargothrond drew near; but when the autumn came he saw seven great swans flying south, and he knew them for a sign that he had tarried overlong, and he followed their flight along the shores of the sea.
The Silmarillion (chapter 23), The Unfinished Tales (Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin)


watercolor pencils, soft pastels

Second installment of the six-part series of illustrations for the story of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin (in the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales).
It shows some important moments of Tuor's journey from Hithlum to Vinyamar. The upper panel shows the Gate of the Noldor, even as Gelmir and Arminas the two Noldorin messengers emerged from it. The main scene shows the Rainbow cleft with Tuor playing his harp. And then there are the seven swans, sent as a sign by Ulmo.
As for the heraldic devices, the two swan-wing are of course Tuor's again. The upper-right is the device of Finarfin (Gelmir and Arminas were of Finarfin's people). The lower-left is Fingolfin's, which is not so closely connected to this story, but the Gate of the Noldor (though built by Turgon) was made as the best way from Vinyamar to Fingolfin's realm and the device of Fingolfin is a good counterpart to that of Finarfin (also I like it so I wanted to have it included in one of the illustrations).

Other parts

Tale of Tuor, Part 1: Tuor in Hithlum by MatejCadil  Tale of Tuor, Part 3: The Message of Ulmo by MatejCadil  Story of Tuor, Part 4: Coming to Gondolin by MatejCadil   Tale of Tuor, Part 5: The Fall of Gondolin by MatejCadil   Tale of Tuor, Part 6: A New Beginning by MatejCadil 

I hope you like it and I'll appreciate your comments. :-)

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If you like my Tolkien-related art, look at my related journal or gallery folder.
But you can find even more of my pictures on my website Angrenost.cz. It's in Czech, but you can still look at the gallery of illustrations. Enjoy! :-)
Image size
2474x3560px 3.43 MB
Make
OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
Model
SP590UZ
Shutter Speed
1/80 second
Aperture
F/5.6
Focal Length
14 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
Jan 13, 2013, 5:34:30 PM
© 2013 - 2024 MatejCadil
Comments37
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steyfi's avatar
Amazing work! :)