Monday, April 8, 2013

Literary DOPPELGANGER DUOS IN PAINT

Is this Ellery Queen?

No it's a portrait of Jan Lechon by Roman Kramsztyk (1885 - 1942)

Is this Inspector Richard Queen - minus the snuff?

No, it's a self-portrait of artist Tomas Viver Aymerich (1876 - 1951)

Is this a portrait of Imogen Robertson's intrepid creation, Mrs. Harriet Westerman? (Yes, Mrs. Westerman has red hair, but this looks like powdered red hair. The outfit is perfect.)

No, it is portrait by Francis Wheatley (1747 - 1801) 

Is this a portrait of Imogen Robertson's creation, Gabriel Crowther, reclusive 18th century coroner?
(Crowther doesn't wear a wig or powder his hair, but other than that...)

No it's a portrait by Henry Raeburn (1756 - 1823)

Is this Laurie King's detecting genius Mary Russell?

No it's a self portrait by Margaret Foster Richardson (1881 - 1945)

Is this Laurie King's Sherlock Holmes minus the pipe?

No, it is a self-portrait by Australian painter Rupert Bunny (1864 - 1947)

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A bit of a short Salon. I did a longer 'Doppelgangers in Paint' post a few months ago - it was a lot of fun. If you missed it the first time around, here's the link.  

Today it's three sleuthing duos.

I've been reading up a bunch of Ellery Queens lately, so father and son lead the pack. Richard Queen is described as a little gray man in the books but this brown suit will do, I think. Ellery, well you know - he's a detecting genius besides being a book-a-holic and more than a bit of a showy eccentric.     

Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther are the brilliant creations of Imogen Robertson. The only crime solving duo operating within the societal strictures of the 18th century. A dazzling series. My three reviews (so far) of Robertson's books.      

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are the extraordinary genius detecting duo created (in Holmes's case, secondarily created) by the brilliant writer, Laurie R. King (there's that word brilliant, again - can't seem to help myself) - Links to a couple of my reviews: O JERUSALEM,  THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE (a short overview).                                             

8 comments:

  1. This is one of those funny coincidences: I just saw the original of the Margaret Foster Richardson painting a few days ago! Jack and I went to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for the first time last week and this painting is there. I think we enjoyed that museum / gallery more than the larger Philadelphia Museum of Art. There are some wonderful paintings there, many of them by women.

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  2. Kismet! That's what I say. :)

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  3. This was fun, Yvette! It is interesting how a portrait can remind us of someone we imagined from a book. You would make a good casting agent!

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  4. For some reason, ever after reading the first post you did like this, I don't look at portraits and think of fictional characters. I wish I did, because it's such a cool idea. Maybe if I start forcing myself to think about it next time I go to the museum.

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  5. Very fun post, Yvette! (and, yes, I'm falling behind in my blog visitations....) I especially like the "Ellery Queen paintings.

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  6. Thanks, Pat. I'm sorry I haven't been around the old blog lately. Haven't had energy for much of anything it seems. Doing my best...

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  7. Well Ryan, you have to get with the program. :)

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