Few portraits have been on display in the Old House, and Josette dominates here. When Barnabas hangs Josette's portrait over the mantel in 1795, he is letting
Angelique know where she stands, which could be why she later chose
to have her own portrait appear above the mantel, ousting a Collins
family relative. When Barnabas moves Josette's portrait to her room so he can hang his own portrait above the mantel in the parlor in present day time, he is reclaiming the Old House as his.
Josette Collins
Josette's portrait is first seen hanging over the mantel in the parlor of the Old House in
Episode 70
when David leads Vicki there to show it to her. He tells her that
Josette's spirit is condemned to stay in the Old House until a third
girl dies on the rocks below Widows' Hill, and suggests Vicki may be the
third girl. Once they leave the Old House, Josette's ghost emerges from
the portrait and dances on the porch, thereby becoming
Dark Shadows' first real evidence of the supernatural. David often communicates with her through the portrait, usually to ask advice or inquire about unsolved mysteries. She seems to be especially protective of David and Vicki.
Josette emerged from her portrait again in
Episode 102 after David asked her about the death of Bill Malloy. While Matthew Morgan was holding Vicki captive in the secret room of the Old House, her portrait would often glow, and she spoke for the first time to Matthew in
Episode 122. Her ghost steps out of her portrait to save Vicki from being ax murdered by Matthew Morgan in
Episode 126. In
Episode 212, Barnabas speaks to her portrait claiming the house as his and saying her power is ended.
In 1795, the portrait is shown hanging above the mantel in her room by mistake in
Episode 374, as it does not arrive from France until
Episode 402. Barnabas hangs her portrait over the mantel in the parlor in
Episode 405, despite being married to Angelique, who transforms her image in the portrait to a zombie. In
Episode 430, Barnabas calls Josette from the grave through her portrait, which he ends up regretting.
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| Josette's portrait is featured during the end credits in Episode 699. |
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| In 1897, Rachel Drummond views the portrait of Josette during Episode 715. |
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| Josette's portrait is featured once again during end credits in Episode 724. |
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In 1840, Barnabas says goodbye to Josette and takes her portrait down in Episode 1113.
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In Episode 1113, a noose frames Josette as Quentin readies himself to return to dear dead Daphne.
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Barnabas Collins
Barnabas commissioned Sam to paint his portrait for $1,000 in
Episode 222.
Sam worked in the evenings painting it at the Old House, but when
nearly complete, took it home to finish, and delivered it to Barnabas in
Episode 255, who placed it over the mantel where Josette's portrait once hung.
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| Barnabas' portrait is complete and placed over the mantel at the Old House in Episode 255. |
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| Barnabas' portrait hangs askew in Episode 1064 during Barnabas and Julia's trek to 1995. |
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| Barnabas frets over the destruction of Collinwood and how to save Julia in Episode 1113. |
Mr. Collins
It seemed safe to call this unidentified ancestor Mr. Collins, whose portrait is first seen in
Episode 367 hanging above the mantel in the parlor in 1795. I'm guessing that it's Jeremiah, Joshua and Abigail's daddy. It was replaced by Josette's portrait in
Episode 405, and then returned after Barnabas moved her portrait to her bedroom. Angelique's portrait materialized over it in
Episode 449, and even stole the frame!
Angelique
Angelique's portrait materialized over the portrait of Mr. Collins in
Episode 449. Bathia Mapes holds up Angelique's ribbon in front of her portrait in
Episode 451, causing the portrait to fade in and out, in an unsuccessful attempt to dispel the curse Angelique placed on Barnabas.
In
Episode 463,
Vicki buys the portrait, which Barnabas unsuccessfully attempts to
destroy, as it seems as indestructible as Angelique. Roger becomes
possessed by the portrait and finds himself acting against his own will. It's reappearance now makes it technically a
Collinwood portrait, but I've decided to add information here for simplicity's sake.
In
Episode 499, Sam Evans alters the portrait to age Angelique at the request of Barnabas Collins. You can find more information about this event on the
Works of Sam Evans page.
In
Episode 521, Joshua reveals that he found the portrait in a locked closet, which no longer depicts crusty, old Angelique, but is faded, presumably because she had been exorcised by Trask. Nicholas Blair attempts to communicate with her through the portrait to determine where she was exorcised. After he finds her ashes and restores her, the painting resumes its original condition in
Episode 527.
After Angelique disobeys Nicholas Blair and tries to kill Adam, he removes her powers, making her human, and in
Episode 547, the portrait changes, as Angelique becomes an old crone once more.
When Angelique appears to die from her advanced age in
Episode 548, she is no longer visible in the portrait, which looks decayed.
Laura Stockbridge Collins
In Episode 739, Barnabas locates a portrait of Jeremiah's first wife in an old trunk of his. In Episode 740, he tells Magda of how he watched her pose for the portrait in the drawing room at the Old House when he was a boy.
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| Episode 739 |
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| Episode 740 |
Stay tuned for updates on portraits from the Old House, as we make our way through the series.
Has anyone noticed that the portrait of Josette looks nothing like Maggie Evans even though everyone in the cast makes it sound like she's almost a reincarnation of Josette?
ReplyDeleteIn the remake done in the 90s the portrait of Josette does look like Victoria Winters. In that version, Victoria is apparently supposed to be the reincarnation of Josette (in fact, Barnabas remarks to that effect in one of the episodes).
I do not think that really matters anymore.
ReplyDelete