LotR: ARAGORN AT AMON HEN STATUE

Limited edition #310 of 400
Scale: 1/6
Dimensions: 32 x 28 x 40 cm (HxWxD)
Weight: 3.7 kg
Materials: Polystone
Previewed: March 14, 2019
Pre-order: April 25, 2019
Released: November 2019
Sculptor: Daniel Cockersell

Numb from the loss of Gandalf, yet with purpose renewed from their time in Lothlórien, the Fellowship of the Ring makes its way south, paddling elven boats down the Anduin River as far as Nen Hithoel. Upon the banks of the lake and the quiet shade of Parth Galen the weary eight pause to make camp and consider their course.

Though true and thoughtful, Aragorn struggles to keep his company together. Doubt and disagreement gnaw as the Ring exerts its dark influence upon the party, and Boromir’s brooding disapproval hangs above them like a dark cloud, smothering their spirits.

Seeking comfort in solitude, Frodo strays among the trees, climbing the wooded slope of Amon Hen, and here finds Boromir waiting for him. In a fit of madness Gondor’s son tries to wrest the Ring from Frodo, and the Hobbit flees to encounter Aragorn searching for them both. Aragorn gazes long upon the Ring, but in the end does what Boromir could not, overcoming its lure and accepting the truth that the Fellowship is no more: what hope they have lies now on Frodo’s shoulders alone.

Yet even as this understanding settles between them a new peril appears. Emerging from the trees in clouds of dust and the rumble of iron-shod feet come scores of slavering Uruk-hai. Now Aragorn must fight to buy Frodo’s escape, and as the Hobbit vanishes among the leaves the clear horn of Gondor sounds below: Boromir calls for aid. Outnumbered, desperate and dispersed, the Fellowship is broken, but its members might yet be saved.

This 1:6 scale polystone marries traditional hand-crafted techniques with modern technology to create an ever-more exacting piece. Senior sculptor Daniel Cockersell was charged with recreating this climatic moment as a collectible. Daniel worked in clay, using traditional techniques to develop the figure’s dynamic pose. To embody the collectible with the same sense of urgency felt in the scene, Daniel ensured Aragorn is fully armed and in full pursuit of his enemy.

The robes of Aragorn billow out as he races towards Lurtz with sword and Elven hunting knife in hand. Using the original costume as reference, Daniel created a film-accurate representation of the character- even taking care to add hundreds of individual stitches throughout Aragorn’s costume.

The final and most crucial step was to create Aragorn’s facial features. To capture an extreme likeness, Daniel had the benefit of the original face cast of actor Viggo Mortensen, taken at Weta Workshop during the production of The Lord of the Rings. For the sculpture, the face cast was scanned by the Workshop’s 3D Department, then converted into a digital model. From here, Daniel worked digitally to develop Aragorn’s intense expression.

Senior painter Jules German drew on his knowledge of painting prosthetics to bring Aragorn to life. The result is an exacting likeness of the character in polystone, frozen in time in this most highly charged of moments from The Fellowship of the Ring.