The Prophetic Pictures
The Prophetic Pictures
From ''Twice Told Tales''
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before a mirror, she could not have caught the look so successfully. Had the picture itself been a mirror, it could not have thrown back her present aspect, with stronger and more melancholy truth. She appeared quite unconscious of the dialogue between the artist and her lover.
"Elinor," exclaimed Walter, in amazement, "what change has come over you?"
She did not hear him, nor desist from her fixed gaze, till he seized her hand, and thus attracted her notice; then, with a sudden tremor, she looked from the picture to the face of the original.
"Do you see no change in your portrait?" asked she.
"In mine?--None!" replied Walter, examining it. "But let me see! Yes; there is a slight change,--an improvement, I think, in the picture, though none in the likeness. It has a livelier expression than yesterday, as if some bright thought were flashing from the eyes, and about to be uttered from the lips. Now that I have caught the look, it becomes very decided."
While he was intent on
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Short story / Occult (Evil predictions) / Horror (Supernatural)
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Plot bullets
A portrait artist, paints the soul of his subjects into his pictures. They have a prophetic quality as they change overtime revealing the subjects in light of future moods and events.
Dorian Gray (The Portrait of Dorian Gray) had his problems with his picture taking on the accumulated effect of his base deeds. To be reminded of bad deeds is one thing. To know that they are yet to come, must be unbearable for anyone who's likeness is in one of, 'The Prophetic Pictures'.
A story in 'Twice Told Tales', first published in 1837.
R: * * * *
Plot bullets
A portrait artist, paints the soul of his subjects into his pictures. They have a prophetic quality as they change overtime revealing the subjects in light of future moods and events.
Dorian Gray (The Portrait of Dorian Gray) had his problems with his picture taking on the accumulated effect of his base deeds. To be reminded of bad deeds is one thing. To know that they are yet to come, must be unbearable for anyone who's likeness is in one of, 'The Prophetic Pictures'.
A story in 'Twice Told Tales', first published in 1837.
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Minor piece, not very hair-raising. I kept wishing it had been written by Poe.
07/29/2012
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FEATURED AUTHOR - E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and teens, including the young adult dystopian novel Departures and the award-winning Chronicles of the Third Realm War series (start with Mud). When she isn’t writing fiction, she co-hosts the Troped Out and Fantasy+Girl podcasts. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about "Mud: A Dark Fantasy… Read more