Art Rec: Untitled Sherlock Portrait

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

Title: Untitled Sherlock Portrait, based on an image from A Study in Pink.
Artist: fhlostonsparadise on tumblr
Pairing: Gen
Rating: not rated, I would say G
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Sherlock.

Reccer's comments: There are so very many beautiful portraits of Sherlock, but to me personally, this is the most beautiful. I'm not sure why, it just clicked with me. The artist has captured the odd proportions of Sherlock's face, and I love the white tones of cool light on his skin and the way the artist plays up its sharp contrast with his dark hair by mirroring it in the black and white floral patterns that surround him.

The pose, too, is dear to me. His eyes are closed, his face relaxed, his hands steepled beneath his chin. To anyone who didn't know him, this would look like pallid, deep rest. But to those who do know him, we can recognize that this is Sherlock at work.

It reminds me of this quotation from Aristotle, which I've always considered very Holmesian:

"For contemplation is both the highest form of activity (since the intellect is the highest thing in us, and the objects that it apprehends are the highest things that can be known), and also it is the most continuous, because we are more capable of continuous contemplation than we are of any practical activity."

Anyhow, have a look at Sherlock in thought. He's gorgeous.

Comments

[dioscureantwins.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous indeed. And we should never forget that Sherlock may be a man of action, but he's also a thinking man, and, with his great love for music, one who's not afraid to retreat to that place where one is never alone, deep within oneself.

Thank you for reccing this beautiful piece. I especially like how cleverly she's used the paper's texture to add extra depth.

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

I loved your comment, beautifully put. And I'm glad you liked the painting, too. Yes, I like to imagine that Sherlock's inner retreat is less a withdrawal than an expansion.

[verdant_fire]

As soon as I clicked on this, I thought, "Oh, it's this one!" I'm not as well-versed in fan art as I'd like, but this is definitely one of my favorites. It's just lovely (and gorgeous!), for all the reasons you described. I'm always delighted by how many very talented people are in fandom, and people who make excellent art are like superheroes to me.

I love the Aristotle quote. It is very Holmesian. <3

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you like it, too :) There are truly amazing talents in so many parts of the fandom.

And yes, Aristotle got sick of being told that sitting around thinking wasn't a useful way to live, and he was like: "Thinking is the most active thing anyone can do. If you can't handle it, tough." Aristotle SMASH!! :)