HOME | DD
peet — The Mormegil
#jrrtolkien #narnihinhurin #narnihînhúrin #childrenofhurin #beleriand #dwarf #elf #elves #mail #man #mormegil #nargothrond #noldor #silmarillion #sindar #soldier #sword #tolkien #turambar #turin #warrior #blacksword #elfman #turinturambar #tolkiensilmarillion #warriorsoldier
Published: 2009-09-05 22:17:10 +0000 UTC; Views: 20785; Favourites: 477; Downloads: 977
Redirect to original
Description
‘The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire; and he named it Gurthang, Iron of Death. So great was his prowess and skill in warfare on the confines of the Guarded Plain that he himself became known as Mormegil, the Black Sword; and the Elves said: 'The Mormegil cannot be slain, save by mischance, or an evil arrow from afar.' Therefore they gave him dwarf-mail, to guard him; and in a grim mood he found also in the armouries a dwarf-mask all gilded, and he put it on before battle, and his enemies fled before his face.’J.R.R. Tolkien: The Silmarillion : Chapter 21: Of Túrin Turambar
Previous: Next:
See the rest of the NARN I HÎN HÚRIN series here .
Painted in watercolour.
Please also view the 2014 remake of this scene here: Mormegil
If you appreciate my artwork, please show your support by taking a few short moments to 'Like' my Facebook Page, at Peter Xavier Price - Illustrator . Many thanks!
Related content
Comments: 50
this one is also a great deviation and also a masterpiece...but i like the remake jeje
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I agree with you that I like the remake more also - although, again, I'm not sure I can agree that they're masterpieces!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
woww! I always saw these on internet and never or at least not on all cases could realise it was made by YOU. Now I found your site it´s a delicious searching to my eyes!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Glad you like - may I ask where you've seen this before on the internet, if you don't mind? Just for my own interest
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I love everything about your art except all the wide staring eyes. Normally, we never see the whole circle of someone's iris because it's partially hidden behind one or both eyelids. And while it's true that staring can imply rage or determination, more often it indicates fear or surprise and is often used for humorous exaggeration.
Otherwise? Your work ROCKS! You do such great things with watercolors (or equivalent--I can't always tell); textures, light/shade, depth of field and all. And unlike some good detail artists, you're great with the contrasts that draw our eyes toward the focus of your picture--like Turin's face here, framed with the bright gold and the dark hair, and most of all his eyes where both the lines of gold and the spread of hair point like an arrow. His cloak-pins below echo the wide eyes, and their different gems--blue and red--almost suggest both reason and rage. And for all the host, the loose strands of individual hair seem almost the only tokens of normal life under the united will and the borne steel of war.
--Nonie
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Wow, thanks very much indeed for the detailed - and incredibly articulate - comment, it's greatly appreciated. I think human anatomy is probably the worst aspect of my work, and the eye issue may be symptomatic of that (although I must say I very rarely depict the whole iris, as you put it, although again I do still see your point). Hopefully I'll keep on improving slowly with this; I'm feeling more and more comfortable with such things in my newer pictures.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
YES! Finally Silmarillion's artworks who aren't influenced by Alan Lee's style, and without all those fancy D&D plate mail with uncomfortable shapes XD
I love the scale mail and how the masked helm resembles the Sutton Hoo one 
Only one thing, but mind it's just my personal opinion (if JRRT hasn't pointed it out in one of his 1000000000 letters, i dunno) i think a chain mail would fit better as a dwarven armor, than a scale one. How to say, i always imagined them more human-made, or elven-made (or maybe the human ones would rather be lamellar... uhm...) while the dwarven ones are described as more flexible and light (chain mail distributes the weight on your body and actually looks not so heavy, i know being brother to a reenactor XD) But that said, this is still a amazing piece
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hi there - sorry this is extremely late. Just a quick response re the mail. Tolkien states that the Dwarves made for Thingol mail wrought like fish-scales, and since Nargothrond was modelled on Menegroth, housed Dwarves in the past, and Turin has links to Menegroth himself, I thought it would be a nice touch to give him this kind of mail (and to distinguish him from his host) 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
hello, and thanks for the answer
Ah i see, for some reason i always thought of that definition as shiny like fish-scales, and not the more obvious scaler armour, probably because when i hear or read "mail" i end up thinkin about the chain mail xD And probably because in my personal view of Arda's styles, the scale mail looked more uhm "human?" and the dwarves' one were more probably the chain one 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
great! but where's a dragon that's supposed to be on the helm?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Sorry, I'm a tolkienistc purist, culdn't stop myself
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
That's okay, so am I
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
ya.... the dragon helm was out for repairs XD
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I suppose even dwarvish-craft was not always foolproof 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great rendition of Túrin. His eyes show his great fury when going to battle, it is no wonder his enemies flee before him. The mask is of great design.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Turin really was a great warrior. I wanted to channel the deep hatreds and hurts of his life into that unforgiving gaze.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
... and you succeeded. He has a sort of psycopathic gaze, the kind that keeps you alive on a battlefield (like i've ever been on one...).
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
And his eyes have that battle-hardened crazy-look - I definitely wouldn't want to meet him in battle! ... actually I wouldn't like to meet anyone in battle, but hey, I'm a pure coward
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I see perhaps some influence of the famous Sutton Hoo helmet? I always thought it looked positively Dwarvish. Always a pleasure to see your work, especially of Turin.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Sutton Hoo. You've hit the preverbial nail on the preverbial head
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I thought Sutton Hoo immediately as well!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You were right! Did you hear about that latest, vastly superior hoard to have been excavated in Staffordshire? Formerly the kingdom of Mercia of course
[link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yes!! I saw that on the news and nobody cared, but I got really excited. ^^ Wonderful items found there! Thanks for the link!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Wow, Peet, this one's truly fantastic! The work that has gone in the designs of everything really shows. Gurthang looks great, but what I love most is the Dragon-Helm. That's a great take on it! It looks so Nordic, just as Dwarven craftsmanship should. The cloak clasps and the buckles in dragon shape also caught my eye. It's beautiful!
I'd really love to see this "in person" - sometimes I think your screen may be set too dark, so you turn up the contrast too much in the postwork. It's even more noticeable in "He wearied of the chase". Some areas look totally washed out and white, and I don't think they are like that in the original.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Long time no speak, and I hardly feel as if I deserve any comments from you of all people. I hope you're well, Jenny. And thank you. This is not actual the dragon-helm, for where is the dragon? Unfortunately, I forgot about it here, but at least it gives me a chance to depict one day in the future
Re. the contrast issue -- you may be right about this. Unfortunately, I have to scan on another computer other than my own and it is set very dark. Consequently, I find it difficult to know how it will turn out. I think I need to be more concious of this in future and keep tinkering to a minimum. Wish me luck!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I will!
Not the dragon-helm? I thought it was a very nicely understated, stylised dragon with the "eyebrows" forming the wings. I loved the design. 
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I'm rather wondering about the washed-out problem as well... especially because your latest paintings have so much amazing detail in them! And that's pretty much all I can say, because Jenny before me put it much better than I could...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Nonetheless, I thank thee kindly indeed. As for the 'washed out' problem, a response of sorts has been provided above
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You're welcome.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
it is a beatiful painting but they are scaring me
they are all so sad
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Tis the melancholy of Tolkien's writings, of the Elves of the First Age, and indeed of this particular tale -- one of tragedy, sorrow and utmost grief.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Great take on the Dragon-Helm of Dor-Lomin! In fact, I love everything about this painting of Turin and the elves. I like Gurthang as well, though I'm wondering if we're viewing the blade side-on or at an angle - ie, are we seeing the full width of it? Gurthang has always fascinated me, which is why I ask, because even though you only show part of it, it's a very different design than Gurthangs I've seen before. Black and mysterious, but shiny and beautiful too. I've always wondered what it was about the sword that drew Beleg's eye in Menegroth, and later prompted Turin to keep it despite its history.
Anyway, sorry to go off like that. I love this as I've loved many of your Tolkien paintings.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
This unfortunately is not the dragon-helm, as I forgot he was meant to be wearing it at this point! One day, I shall portray it though
I would say that this depicts more or less the full width of Gurthang, though maybe it is at a slight angle. I'm not really sure, there are other older portrayals I've done of the famous sword if you'd like to compare:
Wilt Thou Take Turin Turambar?[link]
Tour's Sighting at Lake Ivrin [link]
Gwindor's Death [link]
Turambar stands before Glaurung [link]
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Oh, hehe, my mistake! The helm had what I thought were some dragonish characteristics.
Thanks for those links to your other drawings - again, I love your version of Gurthang.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I have to say, Turin was always one of my very favorite characters, and this picture reminds me why I love him so much. ^^
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hardy warrior? Scary, piercing eyes? The fact that one 'mere' mortal man harboured the skills and stature to govern the military exploits of an entire, famous Noldorin stronghold in Nargothrond? Yes, he's one of my favourites as well
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Impressive :thumnbsup:
Only I've got a strange feeling looking at faces in the upper left part - have the page bent while scanning/takig a shot?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thanks! No, as far as I believe, the scan was fine.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
This is some of the most believable and realistic armour I've seen - and yet it still has a distinct Tolkien feel. The elves armour is graceful and delicate as well as strong, while the helm is very, very dwarven. I so love that golden beard
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Thank you very much indeed for the kind comment. It's very important to me that the look and feel of the clothing/armour in Tolkien's world appears real and believable.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
You and I think alike. Save the need to suspend disbelief for the things that truly need it. Make the nuts and bolts of Middle Earth real (just like Tolkien did) and the rest of it becomes so much more believable.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Love this! But did you just scan a picture from the book?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
What do you mean? This is my painting...
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Wow ;D Yes, your paintings should grace the book
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
'Tis the dream of every Tolkien illustrator :-D!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0