Who was Barbara Remington?
Barbara Remington was an American artist and illustrator, born in Minnesota, best known for her cover art on Ballantine Books' first paperback editions of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Questions about Barbara Remington
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What did Barbara Remington illustrate for The Lord of the Rings?
Barbara Remington painted the cover art for Ballantine Books' first paperback editions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, along with the poster A Map of Middle-earth. Her three book covers were designed as a single large painting divided into three sections.
Why was J. R. R. Tolkien confused by Barbara Remington's cover art?
J. R. R. Tolkien could not understand why Barbara Remington's illustration included what he took to be pumpkins in a tree, or why a lion appeared on the cover at all. The lions were later removed from the cover of later editions.
Had Barbara Remington read Tolkien's books before painting the covers?
No, Barbara Remington had not been able to get hold of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings before making the illustration. She worked from only a sketchy idea of the story given to her by friends, and later said she would have "definitely drawn different pictures" had she read the books first.
What other books did Barbara Remington illustrate?
Barbara Remington illustrated Scuttle the Stowaway Mouse, written by Jean and Nancy Soule, in 1969, and a wordless picture book called Boat in 1975, done entirely in pencil and ink. She also provided cover art for E. R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros.
When did Barbara Remington die?
Barbara Remington died on the 23rd of January 2020 at her home in Thompson, Pennsylvania, at the age of 90. She was born on the 23rd of June 1929 in Minnesota.