Kintsugi in Andunie by Himring

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Fanwork Notes

For an image prompt from the SWG Restoration and Rebuilding Challenge.

Also for the tolkienshortfanworks prompts in August: art or craft found in unexpected places; diary entry.
 

Fanwork Information

Summary:

An elvish visitor from Tol Eressea to Andunie in Numenor mends an old pot.

Major Characters: Original Female Character(s)

Major Relationships:

Genre: General

Challenges: Restoration and Rebuilding

Rating: General

Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings
Chapters: 2 Word Count: 365
Posted on 27 August 2022 Updated on 28 August 2022

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

Kintsugi in Andunie

You might possibly want a warning for indications of a bit of internalized cultural cringe.

In Unknown Waters

Comments

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I appreciate Cemnare's appreciation of the rare mortal pottery. It does make one wonder how much of the Elven craftsmanship really is superior to mortal work, and how much is just self-depreciation and the assumption that Elven work must naturally be better. (I'm also as amused as Cemnare by her newly coined title!)

The captain's log adds an interesting dimension. The idea that the pot, now mended, survived well beyond the people and even the lands where it was used, is delightful. And of course I always love it when artifacts from Middle-earth (or Númenor for that matter) reappear in our times, or close to our times anyway.

Thank you!

In this particular situation, both Noldor and Edain have suffered major cultural attrition during the Wars of Beleriand, but because of the longevity and accurate memory of the Noldor, cultural continuity has been disrupted more on the side of the Edain, across the generations, even though this family accomplished the unlikely preservation of the pot. Thus, the Edain are strongly influenced in their ideas by all the help they needed and received from the elves of Tol Eressea in the settlement of Numenor. And when such a bias exists, then it is easier to confuse simplicity with lack of sophistication. 

More generally, it gets complicated because on some level, some of the time, the Elves simply represent the artistic impulse in humanity. But still when it comes to actual people, I imagine that there are at least some areas in which a talented and skilled Mortal would well be able to hold their own. Think of Aragorn reciting that Rohirric poem and Legolas listening appreciately, maybe?