Insular Middle Ages

ALT A black-and-white photograph of J.R.R. Tolkien standing next to a massive, deeply textured tree trunk. He rests his right hand on the rough bark of the tree, which towers over him. Tolkien wears a light-colored suit jacket, trousers, a dark buttoned vest, a white collared shirt, and a tie. In his left hand, he holds a walking cane resting on the ground. He smiles slightly toward the camera. In the background, leafy trees and a garden path are visible under soft light. White text at the bottom right reads: "J.R.R. Tolkien at the Botanical Gardens, Oxford, 1973 © Tolkien Trust, 1977".

ALT An extreme close-up shows a person's hand using a thin, textured metal file to smooth down a curved, beige element of a relief sculpture. The sculpture features a raised, branching vine-like structure in beige, adorned with dark gray floral and foliate motifs. The work in progress rests on a wooden workbench.