Treat for Sanspatronymic: I Am the Girl for Her: Double Portrait

[holmesticemods]

Title: I Am the Girl for Her: Double Portrait
Recipient: sanspatronymic
Artist: rachelindeed
Verse: I Am the Girl for Her (an ACD genderswap by sanspatronymic)
Characters/Pairings: Shirley Holmes/Jane Watson
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Summary: Illustrations inspired by sanspatronymic's wonderful fic!




"In the light of the fireplace, the angles of her face—her high cheekbones, the curve of her nose—sharpened and had given her a regal look, which reminded me for all the world of the portrait of Caesar Augustus which had decorated my copy of Suetonius. What fit occupation was there, I wondered, for this Lady Caesar in our modern world?"




"Nevertheless, as we shared quarters, a sort of quiet intimacy grew between us. Though I sometimes protested the smell of chemicals and tobacco, we got on quite well together, and as she was often awake when I returned from the hospital, we fell into a habit of chatting before bed."

Comments

[rachelindeed]

OMG, I LOVE THAT EXCERPT SO MUCH! The kiss like an etching, the selfish apology, give me that rifle you damn fool, it's too good! I so look forward to reading more about this pair!!

I'm really glad you enjoyed the drawings. Those passages quoted here as captions came across so vividly when I read the fic that I wanted to go hunting for images to match. I based Holmes on Claudia Black, who is quite beautiful and with that angular, regal profile you described :)

Jane is based on Merle Oberon, who was Anglo-Indian. That was also the inspiration for the paisley stencil pattern in the backgrounds, which I learned from SCFrankles's research originated as an Indian design and became ubiquitous in Britain.

I was sorry that I couldn't write a story for you as well; that's just not where my muse was headed this round. But I have to admit, I've thought repeatedly about that Anglo-Indian Watson prompt, and I've been particularly struck by the thought that Watson would have been about seven years old when the Sepoy Mutiny broke out, and Harry maybe ten or eleven? I can't help wondering whether that might have worked a sea-change in their childhood if their family were first or second-generation Anglo-Indians living in Britain. I hope at some point the idea grows beyond musing and into a real story -- if it does, I will write it for you :)

[sanspatronymic]

I got two glorious presents from you in one round; you certainly shouldn't feel bad about not having made it three! Muse go where they want to go, and yours went some very lovely places, indeed.

I, too, am still fascinated with this idea of Anglo-Indian Watson! About the two brothers being perceived differently and/or affected differently by people's changing attitudes around the Mutiny years.. I've also been thinking about Watson during his army career. Maybe he sets out hopeful that seeing the Raj would make some part of him 'make sense' or that he might feel innately in tune with the land/culture/food/people because of his background, only to arrive there and realize it doesn't actually work that way. Does he have any memories of his grandmother? Did she ever make sticky, sweet jalebi for her grandsons? Was their heritage something everyone knew, or something not talked about (and did this change as attitudes changed?)? Ah.. so many questions. I should love to read some of your answers to them someday, muse willing!