Art Rec: Resurrection

[chapbook.livejournal.com]

Title: Resurrection Tumblr DA
Artist: naturalshocks
Pairing: Gen
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Artist's summary: Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in BBC's Sherlock.
Graphite pencils in Moleskine sketchbook. Texture added in PS.
Used a screencap from 2x02 The Hounds of Baskerville as a reference. I wanted to use the bee with a cap of him looking down, but I couldn't find any good screencaps because the dude is proud as a peacock in every shot, lol. I may reuse this idea in the future.

Reccer's comments: I love pencilwork, and here naturalshocks shows off her ability to create contrasting textures in this medium. Sherlock's coat has the look of wool and is set off nicely against the comparative smoothness and lightness of his skin and his dark, curly hair.

What makes this portrait stand out for me is the inclusion of a bee, placed along the bottom of Sherlock's image. Sherlock, a young man, very much of the city in his stylish coat, is paired with the fascination of his retirement years, an insect that is associated strongly with rural life. Moreover, the honey that bees produce was/is associated with death and funerary rites in both ancient and living cultures; so, whether intentional or not, the bee could be interpreted as a Momento Mori, a reminder of Sherlock's mortality. Of course, Sherlock Holmes is both mortal and immortal: a human being who dies, but also a fictional character so compelling that his fans have resurrected him over and over again in the past century.

Comments

[swissmarg]

Fantastic art, thanks for the rec.