… This was a highly emotional experience for all. Christopher’s wife, Baillie Tolkien was present for the release and she was much affected by it. Much as she loved all the previous works which have been released so far, and had already given her full satisfaction, she admitted that this one had quite a unique effect on her. What made the piece extra special, she explained in French, is that, unlike the previous ones which were recreations of existing artwork in another medium, this was a completion, a realization of a carpet that Tolkien had designed a cartoon for in his mind in 1960, but never saw in real life. Baillie had prepared some notes but, seeing the piece, spoke without calling upon them. She finished by referring to Niggle who, seeing his Tree in full growth, exclaimed: “It’s a gift.” …
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The following report is written by Denis Bridoux Vanyarin and republished here with his kind permission.
After a long gap for obvious reasons, back from Aubusson where the first Númenórean carpet was released from its loom on Friday June 4th.
It’s a remarkable piece. One of two which Tolkien drew in early December 1960 [TAI #74]. It is 4.6m x 3.3m and weighs about 100kg. It was woven in wool in the simple knot Savonnerie method by the Manufacture Four https://www.aubusson-manufacture.com/ which has a long-standing monopoly on the process and made, among others, the Guernica tapestry which hang for many years at the United Nations. The carpet required 1600 hours of weaving. In total, 9 people worked on it from conception to completion. Seeing it at close range is amazing.
This was a highly emotional experience for all. Christopher’s wife, Baillie Tolkien was present for the release and she was much affected by it. Much as she loved all the previous works which have been released so far, and had already given her full satisfaction, she admitted that this one had quite a unique effect on her. What made the piece extra special, she explained in French, is that, unlike the previous ones which were recreations of existing artwork in another medium, this was a completion, a realization of a carpet that Tolkien had designed a cartoon for in his mind in 1960, but never saw in real life. Baillie had prepared some notes but, seeing the piece, spoke without calling upon them. She finished by referring to Niggle who, seeing his Tree in full growth, exclaimed: “It’s a gift.”
In addition to Conversation with Smaug and the replacement of several other pieces (Lothlorien was sadly judged “too complex”), Aubusson will now release the full Moria Gate uniting the top and bottom sections, Beleg Finding Gwindor in the Forest of Taur-na-Fuin and The Gardens of the Merking’s Palace. The choice of the latter two was made based on suggestions I had made to the team when I had shown them the restored versions of the illustrations at my first visit some years ago (time flies), and they were immediately convinced that they would make wonderful tapestries. They will also release Christopher’s original Map of Middle-earth in carpet format (albeit without the Umbar section which would have imbalanced the work and is mainly white). The sample of it that I have seen is impressive.
This may not, however, be the sum total of works reproduced in woven form, as Baillie said to me, when I asked her about a possible weaving of the other Númenórean carpet, that if Aubusson made her further project proposals, they would not be viewed unfavourably, so watch this space.
All this will depend on plans at Aubusson, as they are now getting involved in the weaving of several Miyasaki pieces. I have already seen one in the process of being woven by Patrick Guillot, who had produced some Tolkien carpets, and it is promising to be most spectacular.
The whole Tenture Tolkien will be exhibited together in a special hall in an extension to the Cité de la Tapisserie which is due to be opened in several years, as the contract with the architects was due to be signed that very evening.
