Regrettably, I am four days late with this post, but better late than never! On January 19, 2020, we celebrated the 211th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe as well as the 217th anniversary of the birth of Sarah Helen Whitman! That’s right, the two shared the same birthday, Whitman having been born six years earlier than Poe.
I cannot think of a better occasion to share the news that The Providence Athenaeum and I collaborated after the Ravenous Exhibit to bring Poe permanently to the Athenaeum. This iconic bust of Poe is a copy (of a copy) of the original that remains in my private collection. He will be displayed above the main entrance of the Athenaeum right below the windows of the Art Room. It has been an absolute honor to help bring attention to Poe here in Providence, and to allow his legacy to live on within the walls of this incredible institution— the same walls that surrounded Poe while he was here in 1848 courting Sarah Helen Whitman. I can only hope that this new addition will make future generations who enter the Athenaeum leave with a curiosity about the man portrayed in the melancholy bust above the entryway.
Here is a link to The Providence Athenaeum’s digital art collection containing more information about the bust: http://digital.provath.org/items/show/49?mc_cid=4ba337a329&mc_eid=131ec30ef6
Edgar Allan Poe: Rhode Island 