The Providence Athenaeum

2016
Illustration, Linocut

Entering the Providence Athenaeum is like taking a step back in time. From the street, the stone exterior sits a bit standoffish, but beyond the doors is a perfectly preserved 19th century library – complete with shelf-high ladders and that old book smell. Busts line the columns of bookshelves, while a full-sized statue of Athena greets you at the door. Visitors are encouraged to take a self-guided tour of the building, which includes a brief history and information on the Athenaeum’s most famous guest – Edgar Allen Poe.

For this student assignment, I was tasked with creating a project based on a location I found interesting. I happened upon the Providence Athenaeum, and fell in love with the old library’s history and host of famous writers.

I decided to create a collection of Linocut prints based off of the work of Edgar Allen Poe and his romance with Sarah Whitman, and built a card catalog inspired box to house them in.