Poison Hemlock

Charles Doyle’s work is often viewed through the lens of his biography. Father of author Arthur Conan Doyle and brother of illustrator Richard Doyle (whose work is also in this exhibition), he was institutionalized for severe alcoholism and mental conditions. This has led many to read his images of fairies and other fantastical creatures as products of a disturbed mind. However, while idiosyncratic in style, his work falls squarely within a long history of fantasy art. This drawing depicts a strange, cloaked figure cutting a stalk of poison hemlock. The plant’s dangerous nature, as well as the furtive position of the figure, lend the scene an air of mystery (2022).