Known as the father of modern fantasy literature, author J.R.R. Tolkien has touched many lives through his books and the creation his fictional world, Middle-earth. Fans of his work can read the books themselves, view artwork inspired by the books, or watch the movies created by Peter Jackson. Now for a short time, fans in New York City (or those willing to travel there) will be able to view “the most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations.”
The Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York has brought together maps, manuscripts, original drawings, and more from the Tolkien Archives at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, Marquette University Libraries in Milwaukee, the Morgan, and private lenders. The exhibit will open January 25 and will run through May 12, 2019.
The library’s website provides this description for the exhibit:
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” With these words the Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien ignited a fervid spark in generations of readers. From the children’s classic The Hobbit to the epic The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s adventurous tales of hobbits and elves, dwarves and wizards have introduced millions to the rich history of Middle-earth. Going beyond literature, Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a world complete with its own languages and histories. Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth celebrates the man and his creation. The exhibition will be the most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations. Drawn from the collections of the Tolkien Archive at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), Marquette University Libraries (Milwaukee), the Morgan, and private lenders, the exhibition will include family photographs and memorabilia, Tolkien’s original illustrations, maps, draft manuscripts, and designs related to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
The video below provided by the library gives an overview of the exhibit.
The Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit runs January 25-May 12 at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.