Last year I posted these two interesting French editions of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian from the early 1950s. Back then foreign publishers, once they acquired the rights, usually had their own artists create the covers, likely because it was too much bother to ship over the original artwork and …
Tag: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Jadis and Her Sleigh, Part 1
Without bells, remember. It’s one of the most iconic images from the first book and also iconic to the Snow Queen story, which inspired Lewis to include it in the first place. Most artists don’t stray too far from the text. There’s a dwarf, at least two reindeer, and a luxurious sleigh which includes furs …
Narnia French Editions, 1952 – 1953
Many first edition Narnia books published in other countries had unique, enchanting artwork that was never repeated for further printings. These covers for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (shortened to The Lion and the White Witch) and Prince Caspian have a light, airy, featherweight feel that seems more appropriate for a book of …
Witte Heks
That’s Dutch for “White Witch.” The theater production below was staged in the Netherlands. Obviously, it was a childrens theater project, going by the youth of the extras who are playing the reindeer and dwarves. Interestingly the witch has black hair as in Pauline Baynes’ depictions. And here’s yet another Scandinavian version of The Lion, …
Hvid Heks
That’s Norwegian for “White Witch.” And she’s the showstopper character in this very oddly staged Norwegian version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, even though she’s not exactly white. Actually, none of the winter scenes are. Click to see full size version, you really have to! Here she’s using a variant of the …
The White Witch Returns, Drag Queen Edition
The creative world of drag culture offers some unique takes on wintry femme fatales. Here’s some I found. First, drag queen artist Raja Gemini, alluring inside or outside of drag. Pangina Heals in an Asian-based costume. Paul Quin as a Goth White Witch. I like the fur shoulder pads and mirrored crown. Sasha Velour rocking …
Worldbuilding Wednesday 8/14/24: Let’s Talk About Maugrim (Narnia LX)
If you’re a scholar of The Chronicles of Narnia, you’ll know that the White Witch’s Captain of the Secret Police, a wolf named Maugrim, received a name change when The Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe was published in the U.S. in 1950. That change was to Fenris Ulf, a name familiar to those who read …