Commemorating the two
hundredth anniversary of Frankenstein—a classic of world literature and a
masterpiece of horror—a new exhibition at the Morgan shows how Mary Shelley
created a monster. It traces the origins and impact of her novel, which has
been constantly reinterpreted in spinoffs, sequels, mashups, tributes and
parodies. Shelley conceived the archetype of the mad scientist, who dares to
flout the laws of nature, and devised a creature torn between good and evil.
Her monster spoke out against injustice and begged for sympathy while
performing acts of shocking violence. In the movies, the monster can be a brute
pure and simple, yet he is still an object of compassion and remains a favorite
on stage and screen.
For the first time it will
be possible to view art and artifacts (including comic books, film posters,
publicity stills, and movie memorabilia) that explain how Frankenstein caught
the popular imagination in the course of two hundred years. Portions of the
original manuscript will be on display along with historic scientific
instruments and iconic artwork such as Henry Fuseli’s Nightmare, a six-sheet
poster advertising the Boris Karloff movie in 1931, and the definitive portrait
of the author. The modern myth of Frankenstein is based on a long cultural
tradition, also recounted in the exhibition with a vivid display of books,
manuscripts, posters, prints, and paintings.
The exhibition and
catalogue are also made possible with lead funding from Katharine J. Rayner,
Beatrice Stern, and the William Randolph Hearst Fund for Scholarly Research and
Exhibitions, generous support from the Ricciardi Family Exhibition Fund, the
Caroline Morgan Macomber Fund, the Franklin Jasper Walls Lecture Fund, Martha
J. Fleischman, and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and assistance from
The Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation and Robert Dance.
Barry Moser, No Father Had Watched My Infant Days, illustration in
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein, West Hatfield, Mass.: Pennyroyal
Press, 1983. Morgan Library & Museum. The Morgan Library
& Museum, PML 127245.6. Photography by Janny Chiu, 2017. © Pennyroyal
Press.rpEo
https://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/frankenstein
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