“I first took on The Lord of the Rings at the age of eleven or twelve,” writes The New YorkÂer’s AnthoÂny Lane. “It was, and remains, not a book that you hapÂpen to read, like any othÂer, but a book that hapÂpens to you: a chunk bitÂten out of your life.” The preÂteen years may remain the most opporÂtune ones in which to pick up the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, but whatÂevÂer the periÂod in life at which they find their way in, most readÂers who make the jourÂney through MidÂdle-earth nevÂer realÂly leave the place. And it hardÂly requires covÂerÂing much more ground to get from hunÂgerÂing to know everyÂthing about the world of The Lord of the Rings — one rich with its own terÂrain, its own races, its own lanÂguages — to hunÂgerÂing to know how Tolkien creÂatÂed it.
Now the countÂless Lord of the Rings enthuÂsiÂasts in AmerÂiÂca have their chance to behold the mateÂriÂals first-hand. The exhiÂbiÂtion Tolkien: MakÂer of MidÂdle-Earth, which runs from JanÂuÂary 25th to May 12th of this year at New York’s MorÂgan Library and MuseÂum, will assemÂble “the most extenÂsive pubÂlic disÂplay of origÂiÂnal Tolkien mateÂrÂiÂal for sevÂerÂal genÂerÂaÂtions,” drawÂing from “the colÂlecÂtions of the Tolkien Archive at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), MarÂquette UniÂverÂsiÂty Libraries (MilÂwauÂkee), the MorÂgan, and priÂvate lenders.”
All told, it will include “famÂiÂly phoÂtographs and memÂoÂraÂbilÂia, Tolkien’s origÂiÂnal illusÂtraÂtions, maps, draft manÂuÂscripts, and designs relatÂed to The HobÂbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The SilÂmarÂilÂlion.”
MenÂtal Floss’ EmiÂly PetÂsko also highÂlights the presÂence of “origÂiÂnal illusÂtraÂtions of Smaug the dragÂon (from The HobÂbit), Sauron’s Dark TowÂer of Barad-dĂ»r (described in The Lord of the Rings and The SilÂmarÂilÂlion), and othÂer recÂogÂnizÂable charÂacÂters,” as well as that of Tolkien’s draft manÂuÂscripts that “proÂvide a winÂdow into his creÂative process, as well as the vivid, expanÂsive worlds he creÂatÂed.” You can see more of the things TolkienÂian that will soon come availÂable for pubÂlic viewÂing at the MorÂgan in the exhiÂbiÂtion’s trailÂer at the top of the post.
“The Lord of the Rings has remained comÂiÂcalÂly diviÂsive,” Lane writes. “It is either adored, with varyÂing degrees of guilt, or robustÂly despised, often by those who have yet to open it.” But after seeÂing an exhiÂbiÂtion like Tolkien: MakÂer of MidÂdle-Earth, even Tolkien’s harshÂest critÂics may well find themÂselves perÂsuadÂed to acknowlÂedge the scale and depth of the books’ achieveÂment, as well as the dedÂiÂcaÂtion and even bravÂery of its creÂator. As Lane puts it, “The Lord of the Rings may be the final stab at epic, and there is invariÂably someÂthing risky, if not downÂright risÂiÂble, in a last gasp.” But “Tolkien believed that he could reproÂduce the epic form under modÂern conÂdiÂtions,” the fruit of that belief conÂtinÂues to enrapÂture readÂers of all ages more than 60 years latÂer.
If you can’t wait for the exhiÂbiÂtion, you might want to have a look at Wayne G. HamÂmond and ChristiÂna SculÂl’s book, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and IllusÂtraÂtor. It’s already pubÂlished.
via AM New York and MenÂtal Floss
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
110 DrawÂings and PaintÂings by J.R.R. Tolkien: Of MidÂdle-Earth and Beyond
Hear J.R.R. Tolkien Read From The Lord of the Rings and The HobÂbit
Map of MidÂdle-Earth AnnoÂtatÂed by Tolkien Found in a Copy of Lord of the Rings
Based in Seoul, ColÂin MarÂshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.