When Sauron's dark power began creeping back into Middle-earth, the angelic Valar dispatched five Istari (Wizards) to rally the mortal races for the coming war. Unfortunately, the mission had a remarkably high failure rate: two Blue Wizards vanished into the East, Radagast the Brown became overly preoccupied with woodland creatures, and Saruman the White fell to pride and tried to conquer the world himself.
Only Gandalf stayed true to the path forming the Fellowship of the Ring, taking down a Balrog, and kindling the courage of Men against the gathering shadow.
Bringing the Grey Wizard to Life
Over the decades, Gandalf has been reimagined across countless paintings, video games, and stage productions. Yet, few capture his essence quite like Gandalf: Mithrandir, a breathtaking new fine art print by Jerry Vanderstelt.
Distributed by Sideshow, this piece takes its name from the Sindarin Elvish title bestowed upon him by the Elves: Mithrandir, meaning the "Grey Pilgrim." Currently available for pre-order at $80 USD, the print is expected to ship between July and September 2026. (For those looking to complete the ultimate Khazad-dΓ»m aesthetic, Sideshow also offers a gorgeous companion art print of the Balrog.)
Sir Ian McKellen: The Definitive Mithrandir
Vanderstelt’s art gorgeously renders the likeness of Sir Ian McKellen, who immortalized the character in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. While McKellen was already a titan of the stage and screen for decades, donning the grey robes and battered hat launched him into the global mainstream arguably eclipsing even his iconic run as Magneto in the X-Men franchise.
Incredibly, McKellen’s watch isn't over. He has confirmed that he will reprise his legendary role in the upcoming film, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Given his age, we may not see him engaging in heavy, sword-swinging acrobatics, but the promise of his return smoking his pipe and offering profound wisdom to those with the wit to understand it is enough to warm any fan's heart.
π§♂️ Did You Know? Gandalf Trivia
He is essentially a demigod/angel: Gandalf is a Maia (plural Maiar), an ancient, angelic spirit created before the world even existed. Before coming to Middle-earth in the body of an old man, he lived in the Undying Lands, where his true name was OlΓ³rin.
He secretly wields a Ring of Power: Throughout the series, Gandalf is the keeper of Narya, the Ring of Fire. It doesn't shoot fireballs; rather, its true magic lies in the ability to inspire hope and kindle the hearts of men in times of overwhelming despair.
His sword has a legendary history: Gandalf wields Glamdring (the "Foe-hammer"), an ancient Elven sword he found in a troll hoard. It was originally forged in the First Age for Turgon, the Elven King of Gondolin. Just like Bilbo and Frodo's blade, Sting, Glamdring glows with a pale light when Orcs or Goblins are near.
Tolkien based him on a postcard: J.R.R. Tolkien’s original inspiration for Gandalf's appearance came from a postcard he bought in Switzerland in 1911. The painting, titled Der Berggeist (The Mountain Spirit) by Josef Madlener, depicted an old, bearded man in a wide-brimmed hat feeding a deer in the woods. Tolkien kept the postcard and later wrote "Origin of Gandalf" across the envelope he stored it in.
