The Oval Portrait

Title: The Oval Portrait

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Narrator: Jonathan Dunne

Original Publication: 1842

Public Domain: Yes

Series Placement: Number 5 in the Timeless Terrors series

Description:

The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe is a haunting work of gothic fiction that explores the intersection of art, obsession, and mortality. First published in 1842 in Godey's Lady's Book, the story follows a weary traveler who discovers a mysterious, exquisitely detailed portrait of a young woman in a dark, abandoned chateau.

As he studies the painting, he learns the tragic story behind it: the artist's obsessive devotion to capturing his wife's likeness ultimately leads to her death. Poe's tale is a chilling meditation on the cost of artistic obsession, the fragility of life, and the tension between beauty and reality.

This recording, narrated by Amazon bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, brings the story's eerie atmosphere and subtle psychological horror to life. While the text is in the public domain, this performance is an original work and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne.

Listeners should expect a brief but unsettling narrative that exemplifies Poe's mastery of suspense, gothic imagery, and psychological depth.