Here’s the Edgar Allan Poe Bust That’s Going in at the BPL

Image via Phantom City Creative/Ward Boult

The visionaries behind the Edgar Allan Poe Bronze Bust Project, the group that raised thousands of dollars in order to bring a mold of the eerie author’s head to the Boston Public Library, are nearly finished their artwork—and it looks pretty awesome.

On Thursday afternoon, the group Tweeted out an image of the bust, along with the words: “The Poe sculpture is done!!!!!!”

Well, almost done.

Creators said the bust that they showed off via social media was the one that will be on display at the library soon, but that it still needs to be brushed down with a special solvent before it’s unveiled during a special ceremony at the end of October.

The project has been a long time coming, and has a history that is almost as strange as the scribe’s writing style.

Back in August, Bryan Moore, who sculpted the bust, said that creator of the Game of Thrones series, George R.R. Martin, and his wife, contributed to the Kickstarter campaign they launched to bring the concept to fruition.

Thanks to the Martins, 228 other backers, and even mythical-monster film director Guillermo Del Toro, the project is finally in its last stages. The big reveal will be followed up by a special one-night-only show tied to the project, called Nevermore: An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe, starring Jeffrey Combs. The performance will be held on Halloween at the Somerville Theater. 

And guess what? That’s not all the Poe to be had. There’s (never)more.

On October 5, just weeks prior to the bust installation, the Edgar Allan Poe Foundation of Boston will unveil their own project, a life-sized sculpture of Poe strutting along the streets of the city, a raven flying nearby and a suitcase full of papers in his hand. That statue is also complete, and the pre-installation at what’s been dubbed “Edgar Allan Poe Square,” a section of Boston that sits near the famed author’s former residence, is underway.

As was previously reported by Boston, that public unveiling and celebration, which will pay homage to Poe’s sordid relationship with Boston and other authors that have lived here, will be held just a few days before the 165th anniversary of the writer’s death on October 7, 1849.

The Edgar Allan Poe bust unveiling will be free and open to the public, October 30, 6 p.m., at the Boston Public Library.