Final Debate: The Best Narnia Illustration
It has all come down to this! Watch the podcasters choose the best Chronicles of Narnia illustration by Pauline Baynes.
Do you agree with our pick for the winner? Post a comment below!
Podcast: Play in new window | Embed
I’m not surprised at the winner, and it was definitely the one I was hoping for, so I’m quite relieved that the Talking Beasts presenters feel the same way, and for pretty much all the same reasons I would have chosen it! Thanks for a very entertaining contest and commentary. (No spoilers here for those who haven’t yet watched the video.)
Gotta say, I’m sitting here with the Dragon Eustace picture pulled up on Google Images. 🙂
@hogglestock, that would have been a good candidate too.
I’m good with what won. Like Rilian, part of my mind is rebelling against it because it’s such an obvious choice but, also like Rilian, I understand why it’s obvious. Images 5 and 7 are great but they could probably have come from any number of fantasy stories. (Please don’t take that to mean I think C. S. Lewis shouldn’t have created them! Quite the contrary!) The image that won is quirkier and very specific to Narnia. (I would have also been fine with Glumpuddle’s personal favorite winning.)
This contest seems to have favored pictures of iconic characters and moments and there’s nothing wrong with that but I kind of wish illustrations with interesting backgrounds, like the ones inside the Dawn Treader itself, or ones with minor supporting characters, like Pattertwig or the Bulgy Bears, could have been represented more. Of course, I’m just a casual fan of Pauline Baynes’s Narnian artwork, so the opinions of major fans of it probably deserve more respect.
P.S.
I’ve started blogging about the Narnia movies if anyone’s interested in reading my opinions on them. Just click on my username.
It is perhaps an abvious choice – so obvious that the Royal Mint (in the UK) chose it for a special Colour Coin in 2023. I hope the Website link below gives the link to the coin, I don’t really know how links work in here.
Skip the link if you don’t want spoilers.
https://www.royalmint.com/shop/limited-editions/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-2023-50p-brilliant-uncirculated-colour-coin/
I’m very pleased with the choice, although the runner-up is a great picture, too.