By Edgar Allan Poe
Illustrated by Evan Robertson
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Edgar Allan Poe’s masterful macabre poem, visually reimagined. This fully illustrated edition brings Poe’s exquisite words to life, exploring the subconscious presence of Lenore and the dual nature of the Raven as both a physical and metaphysical creature.
OBVIOUS STATE BOOKS
The Raven
Nevermore
What is it: The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.
Fun Fact: Poe originally sold this poem for $9 to The American Review. Quite the bargain!
What Makes it Awesome: The brilliant linguistic acrobatics required by the relentless meter and rhyme scheme.
Why Read it: Is the raven a demon, a prophet, or just a talking bird? We see it as a kind of Rorschach test for the narrator, and the poem as a psychological thriller with only one character!
Illustrated Edition
"How can artwork live on the page with poetic text in a way that enhances it without upstaging it or undermining its ability to communicate? That was my main priority, and it informed everything about the visual approach.
The stark palette, the repetition of visual elements, and the balance of art and text all serve to drive the narrative forward. While there’s no “correct” way to visualize these works, I’ve chosen to focus on the broader themes rather than the literal narration of action. I wanted to create a seamless marriage of provocative visuals and punctuated language, both exploring the same idea in slightly different ways. The result, I hope, creates a uniquely illuminating and immersive experience for the reader, where the wisdom that the author and artist explore together are brought into sharper focus."
- Evan Robertson
Obvious State Cofounder & Illustrator
Beautiful Typography
For this project, we selected Ogg—a luscious calligraphic serif typeface designed by Lucas Sharp. The design was inspired by the iconic hand lettering of twentieth century book designer and calligrapher Oscar Ogg. It captures the unique mix of calligraphic and typographic forms he achieved through his use of hand carved pen nibs. While Ogg is high contrast and dramatic, it remains refined and warm, which we think pairs perfectly with the art.
Poe Art Print
While this quote is not from The Raven, it inspired one of our most popular literary art prints and was among the initial illustrations we made when we launched the project almost 15 years ago in 2011!
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATION
Sanity and insanity reversed. The illustration depicts a man seeking rescue, grasping at an anchor falling into the inverted sky.