Gandalf Rides to Minas Tirith 

Alan Lee created this watercolor painting, titled 'Gandalf Rides to Minas Tirith,' to illustrate the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings.' Lee’s image evokes a sense of grandeur and impending doom. We see Minas Tirith, a city carved into the mountains, a beacon of hope in a world threatened by darkness. The lone rider, Gandalf, races towards it, a symbol of the desperate struggle against overwhelming forces. This image reflects the post-war anxieties of Tolkien’s world and our own. The stark, imposing architecture of Minas Tirith suggests both strength and vulnerability, mirroring the historical castles, citadels, and forts that have loomed throughout the centuries. To understand the cultural impact of such art, we can study not just the image itself, but also its place within the broader context of fantasy literature, film, and game design.