The Hobbit

Oil on canvas 16'' x 20'' I first read The Hobbit when I was eight and instantly fell in love with Middle-earth. This painting is my homage to that magical book and to the many beautiful editions in its publishing history. Although my own collection is modest (just six editions collected over the years), I've painted a library of twenty-one: nods to the first UK and US editions (shown with and without jackets), covers chosen for their beauty, editions I personally own and love, and even a representation of my childhood Chinese copy (second from left; the characters are obscured, but the title translates literally to 'The Adventures of a Little Short Person’). This piece honors the book that started it all. What's your most cherished Hobbit edition?