The Making Of 'The Lord Of The Rings'

The global success of the movies in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy introduced J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy world to a new generation, including many who were unaware that the films were based on a series of novels.  But even longtime fans of Tolkien’s books may be unaware that the books themselves were just the tip of the iceberg. 

“Tolkien: Maker Of Middle-earth,” shows how the story was built upon years of map-making, myth-building, landscape painting, and often groundbreaking study of early Anglo Saxon tales.  The exhibition is full of fascinating manuscripts, first drafts, some unusual fan mail, and some of Tolkien’s own paintings, including a couple that may be familiar to readers of the 1970s editions of his books. 

The exhibition was a big hit last year in England’s Bodleian Library at Oxford University.  Now, it’s come to New York’s Morgan Library and Museum.