Middle-Earth Tours

Tour 1: The People of Middle-Earth

Legolas

Legolas, by Inger Edelfeldt

 There was also a strange Elf, clad in green and brown, Legolas, a messenger from his father, Thranduil, the King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. --FotR, "The Council of Elrond"

Legolas presents a special problem to LotR artists because even though he is a fairly important character in LotR, Tolkien never gives us a physical description for him. Some people will argue that, because he is a wood elf, he should have black hair. Others may remember that in The Hobbit Legolas' father, King Thranduil, is described as having golden hair. Even the artists featured on this page are at odds, though blonde Legolas seems to have the advantage.
Frodo looked up at the Elf standing tall above him, as he gazed into the night, seeking a mark to shoot at. His head was dark, crowned with sharp white stars that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind. But now rising and sailing up from the South the great clouds advanced, sending out dark outriders into the starry fields. A sudden dread fell on the Company....
    Suddenly the great bow of Lórien sang. Shrill went the arrow from the Elven-string. Frodo looked up. Almost above him the winged shape swerved. There was a harsh croaking scream, as it fell out of the air, vanishing down into the gloom of the eastern shore. --FotR, "The Great River"

Legolas, by Dan Govar
detail of Legolas, by John Howe

image courtesy of theonering.net
detail of Legolas,
by Alan Lee
detail of Legolas, by
Michael Kaluta
The movie Legolas is played by newcomer Orlando Bloom. Compare his look in the film (above, left) to the picture by Alan Lee (above, center). Lee is a concept designer for the films.
Left: an image from lotr.wz.cz. Right: detail from a poster on theonering.net. Below: an image from the official site's Cannes film booklet.

Full-size versions of these pictures are on display at Rolozo Tolkien, the official LotR movie site, There and Back Again, and theonering.net.