It's all about Sherlock

The Veiled Lodger

More of a confession by a third party than a proper story from the pen of Dr Watson, this recollection of a mysterious lodger with a devouring secret is the shortest of all canonical tales. Imbued with melancholy and a philosophical cynicism that characterises the late adventures, it deals with harrowing themes: domestic violence, animal abuse, cowardly betrayal, facial disfigurement, and suicidal ideation.

As the penultimate entry in the saga, it gives us a last glimpse at the two friends in the late 1920s. In the final adventure, the mood is slightly lighter and Watson does not supply any exposition. But here, even as he has seemingly drifted away from Holmes, he is still dutifully acting as his biographer, writing back to old clients and readers, reviewing and selecting stories for publication.

SHERLOCK: Don’t be ridiculous, I won’t.

JOHN: You’re right, how should I know, I’m only a doctor after all. Who, incidentally, worked in the desert.

SHERLOCK: But John, if I take it off everyone will see I got sunburnt!

JOHN: If you listened to me when I tell you to apply more sun cream…

SHERLOCK: I had no time for that, I was playing with that dog and— 

JOHN: Sherlock, if you don’t take this coat off immediately I swear to God that tonight when you’re asleep I’ll take a photo of you, I’ll caption it “A Study in Scarlet” and I’ll send it to Mycroft.

SHERLOCK: …

JOHN: …

I have a it of a backlog of Hannibal paintings to post - so have the one and only Doctor Lecter today <:

I hope you like it 💙

The Retired Colourman

“Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic mood that morning. His alert practical nature was subject to such reactions.”

For some reason, on Fridays I always feel like sharing something Hannibal related! And old one this time, which I haven't shared sooner because sometimes I forget I paint things T_T

I hope you like it 💙

rock pools

The Lion's Mane

A bittersweet tale of retirement, this odd crime-less story from Holmes’ pen is a rare insight into the mind of the ageing, lonely ex-detective. There is much that we learn about his life after leaving the bustle of London: the quiet nature around him, his simple routine, his new friendships, his interest in photography, and his estrangement with Watson. What June Thomson in her fascinating Holmes and Watson calls “a slow drifting apart, brought about by the physical distance between them, rather than through any specific alienation” is not a pleasant thing to muse on, but it is clear, at least from what the two men share with their readers, that Holmes retires alone while his friend stays in London with his new wife and flourishing practice. Though they still correspond and enjoy “an occasional week-end visit”, this unexplained estrangement makes the lack of a Watsonian touch much more jarring than in Holmes' previous recollection, as his absence echoes throughout the narrative.

JOHN: I thought it was because you wanted to parade your beach body about because of how much of a show-off you are.

SHERLOCK: John, it’s hardly my fault if I look stunning in my new swimming trunks!

JOHN: You look stunning in any clothes, love.

SHERLOCK: Oh, thank you. I was going to say that I left you the chair only because of how old you are but I take that back. I might even let you apply sun cream on this stunning beach body.

JOHN: Because of how generous you are.

The Blanched Soldier

For this end-of-career investigation into the disappearance of a gentleman’s army mate, we are astonished to hear from Holmes himself for the first time. There is no denying that Holmes’ narration lacks Watson’s warmth and poetic touch, but his two stories are not as inferior as some critics seem to think. It is true that compared to his earlier recollections in "The Gloria Scott” and “The Musgrave Ritual”, they could do with some joie de vivre, but that is only in keeping with the tone of the other tales from The Case-Book, including those narrated by Watson. What is evident is that, at the time he is writing these, Holmes does miss his friend terribly and funnels his loneliness into sarcastic remarks, as he is wont to do.

Sherlock by *LindaMarieAnson

If you were wondering, I'm still gutted I won't be able to make the new RDC8 dates...

I'm sharing a little portrait of Will Graham just because - I hope you like it 💙