Edgar Allan Poe Exhibition to Open September 8th at University of Texas

If you're in Austin (TX) this fall, be sure to stop by the Harry Ransom Center, a humanities research library and museum at the University of Texas. From September 8th, 2009, through January 3rd, 2010, the exhibition "From Out That Shadow: The Life and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe" will be on display.

"From Out That Shadow" features manuscripts, books, art and personal effects, many of them displayed for the first time, documenting Poe's career as a writer, his romantic relationships and mysterious death, the decline and rehabilitation of his literary reputation and his profound influence on mystery and detective fiction and other genres.

Exhibition highlights include Poe's writing desk, letters by and about the author, records of his student days at the University of Virginia, a brooch containing his hair, manuscripts of landmark works such as "The Raven" and the original art for Arthur Rackham's illustrated edition of "Tales of Mystery & Imagination." The exhibition will also contain an interactive digital facsimile of the scroll manuscript of the "Domain of Arnheim."

The exhibition is organized into 12 sections: "The Early Years," which covers Poe's family and his student days at the University Virginia; "Working Writer," about Poe's daily activities earning money and engaging with other writers; "Poe in Love," which documents the many women in Poe's life; "Death and Infamy," devoted to the circumstances of Poe's death and the immediate downturn of his reputation; "Poe the Poet"; "The Raven," which is dedicated to the most famous of Poe's poems; "Poe the Critic"; "Detection," which surveys Poe's stories and his influence upon later writers of mysteries; "Poe and Science," which explores Poe's engagement in topics ranging from shells to astronomy; "The Haunted Mind," which uses portraits and illustrations to investigate the psychological aspects of Poe's work and Poe the man; and "Poe in France" and "Perspectives on Poe," which look at the important influence of Poe upon later writers.

The Ransom Center Galleries are open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended Thursday hours until 7 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays the galleries are open from noon to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Mondays.

For more information see the original press release, which announced the exhibition last December.

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