In an earlier post, I wrote about the art history references found at the beginning of Neverwhere, but as I listened to more of the audiobook version, more wonderful descriptions of art and architecture met my ears. In the book, Gaiman gives a history of London’s architecture, from its days as an occupied Roman province to Sir Christopher Wren’s makeover of the old city while the main characters attempt to solve a murder mystery. Other admittedly grotesque quirks occur in the story involving art. In the BBC iPlayer adaptation, you get to hear the sound of contract killers munching on Tang Dynasty art.
Lovely details from an otherwise standard issue fantasy novel.
However, other people have their own interpretations that promote the belief of Neverwhere belonging in the exceptional category.
Cut for spoilers
Check out the beautiful Greek Orthodox style painting that Arnold Stockton unveils in the 1996 BBC version (haven’t seen the whole thing, just came across it during my searches). By the way, I noticed that beyond stained glass, sculpture that looks Neo-Classical (I think) or Early Renaissance, the crowd obscured a lot of art at the British Museum scene. In the book, Gaiman lists multiple artists that tried their hand at depicting angels. I quote from the audio book version:
“Michelangelo angels, Joel-Peter Witkin angels, Picasso angels, Warhol angels.” (1)
Granted, when I looked up “Pablo Picasso Angel” on a search engine, I found this. On Stockton, Gaiman likens him to one of William Hogarth’s sleazy characters. In the Harper Collins Reading Guide, they ask the reader if they could find a connection between Stockton and the Angel Islington. Personally, I find it interesting of the author to insinuate that Stockton, an all-powerful collector of artworks of angels, had no morals or ethics. This personality trait acts as a foreshadowing tool to announce Islington as the true antagonist of the story.
I’m probably not the first to notice, that’s my observation after looking at the story in multiple adaptations.
1. Neil Gaiman, Neverwhere Audiobook (Harper Collins Publishers) 2007.
ETA: Modified a sentence.
Art History Ramblings 