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El grabado en la casa
Cuento "El grabado en la casa" (The Picture in the House).
12 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 1921
15 people are currently reading
675 people want to read
About the author
H.P. Lovecraft
6,203 books19.3k followersHoward Phillips Lovecraft, of Providence, Rhode Island, was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction.
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
September 2, 2022
This is yet another exciting story written by H.P. Lovecraft almost a century ago.
A traveler decides to take shelter from a storm in an abandoned old house. He never knew that a strange experience was waiting for him in this house.
He sees a book with cannibalistic pictures in the home library. Later he sees a man in the house who seems exceptionally creepy. To make things worse, he sees something dripping from the floor of the upstairs room. Is it water due to the rain? Is it blood? Is his brain playing tricks on him?
The author manages to write an engaging story with a perfect narration that will keep you entertained in this book.
A traveler decides to take shelter from a storm in an abandoned old house. He never knew that a strange experience was waiting for him in this house.
He sees a book with cannibalistic pictures in the home library. Later he sees a man in the house who seems exceptionally creepy. To make things worse, he sees something dripping from the floor of the upstairs room. Is it water due to the rain? Is it blood? Is his brain playing tricks on him?
“Distant though it was from the remnant of a road, the house nonetheless impressed me unfavorably the very moment I espied it. Honest, wholesome structures do not stare at travelers so slyly and hauntingly, and in my genealogical researches I had encountered legends of a century before which biassed me against places of this kind.”
The author manages to write an engaging story with a perfect narration that will keep you entertained in this book.
June 15, 2019
A man takes shelter from a storm in a seemingly abandoned old house. He finds an old book full of pictures of a Africa expedition showing cannibalistic pictures. Later on the proprietor of the house is coming down and telling stories how he got the book and what a special feeling he has leafing through it. But what is dropping from the ceiling? It's not water or rain, it's read and the old man came down from the first floor to greet his guest. How is the story ending? A real creeper and page turner. Absolutely recommended!
March 1, 2019
This early Lovecraft horror story—written in 1920 and published in an amateur magazine—is often anthologized, but I don’t think it is really very good. It oscillates ineffectively between horror and humor, and its ending—featuring a deus ex fulgure straight outta House of Usher—is both unsatisfactory and abrupt.
Still, there’s a lot here for the Lovecraft fan.
More important than the story itself is its atmospheric introduction. Though Lovecraft had previously used rural settings—“The Tomb” (1917) comes immediately to mind--”The Picture in the House” was the first time he explicitly chose rural New England as a suitable location for his tales.
the true epicure of the terrible, to whom a new thrill of unutterable ghastliness is the chief end and justification of existence, esteem most of all the ancient, lonely farmhouses of backwoods New England; for there the dark elements of strength, solitude, grotesqueness, and ignorance combine to form the perfection of the hideous.Furthermore, what region of New England could be a better source of ghastliness than the backwaters of rural Massachusetts, places of refuge for degenerate Puritan stock?
Seized with a gloomy and fanatical belief which exiled them from their kind, their ancestors sought the wilderness for freedom. There the scions of a conquering race indeed flourished free from the restrictions of their fellows, but cowered in an appalling slavery to the dismal phantasms of their own minds. Divorced from the enlightenment of civilisation, the strength of these Puritans turned into singular channels; and in their isolation, morbid self-repression, and struggle for life with relentless Nature, there came to them dark furtive traits from the prehistoric depths of their cold Northern heritage.Now, don’t you find it comforting to know that Lovecraft could be racist about white people too?
Also—attention, Lovecraft trivia fans!—this story is the first time Lovecraft refers to the city of Arkham or the Miskatonic river.
For me, though, the best part of this tale of a very ancient man, fascinated with a 16th century book that contains an illustration of a cannibal butcher shop, is this heartfelt expression—in his own words--of his darkest yearnings: “I swar ter Gawd thet picter begun ta make me hungry fer victuals I couldn’t raise nor buy.”
May 24, 2017
A Lovecraft BR-quest with Craig.
The only good thing about this story is that it's too short to DNF. The atmosphere, the decorations and the bit of suspense were good, I even liked the creepy old character with his old tongue and his nice book.
But:
1. It was too short.
2. The idea of the story wasn't fully fulfilled.
3. The ending wasn't satisfying, if this could be accepted like an ending. The information was scarce and the supposed cliffhanger wasn't believable at all. Come on Lovecraft.
So I asked myself
I hope I'll be lucky next time :)
The only good thing about this story is that it's too short to DNF. The atmosphere, the decorations and the bit of suspense were good, I even liked the creepy old character with his old tongue and his nice book.
But:
1. It was too short.
2. The idea of the story wasn't fully fulfilled.
3. The ending wasn't satisfying, if this could be accepted like an ending. The information was scarce and the supposed cliffhanger wasn't believable at all. Come on Lovecraft.
So I asked myself
I hope I'll be lucky next time :)
April 9, 2019
Probably because I had recently read a couple Lovecraft stories involving artists, I was expecting something like a cursed/madness-inducing painting. The "picture" here is actually an illustration in a book of disturbing content, read by a disturbed man. As far as I picked up, there was no supernatural content, for once. I thought it started interestingly but ended in a rushed and dissatisfying way.
I was amused that the unfortunately protagonist is was trapped, not by will-sapping inhuman mind powers, or magic, but by ingrained manners preventing him from simply walking out on someone who was talking to him. We've all been there, right?
I was amused that the unfortunately protagonist is was trapped, not by will-sapping inhuman mind powers, or magic, but by ingrained manners preventing him from simply walking out on someone who was talking to him. We've all been there, right?
May 2, 2015
3.5
An unnamed narrator, who is trying to find a shortcut to Arkham, is forced to seek shelter from the storm in a creepy, old farmhouse. He has been collecting genealogical data from the people in the Miskatonic Valley.
The door is unlocked and he soon finds a leather-bound old book. Speaking of old, the weirdest thing about the farmhouse is that he 'could not discover a single article of definitely post-revolutionary date'. The book keeps opening 'of itself at Plate XII, which represented gruesome detail a butcher's shop'.
Then he hears footsteps upstairs.
An unnamed narrator, who is trying to find a shortcut to Arkham, is forced to seek shelter from the storm in a creepy, old farmhouse. He has been collecting genealogical data from the people in the Miskatonic Valley.
The door is unlocked and he soon finds a leather-bound old book. Speaking of old, the weirdest thing about the farmhouse is that he 'could not discover a single article of definitely post-revolutionary date'. The book keeps opening 'of itself at Plate XII, which represented gruesome detail a butcher's shop'.
Then he hears footsteps upstairs.
October 14, 2021
This, I listened to while I was cleaning. It ends suddenly, but the story is creepy. I really wanted to know what was bleeding upstairs, but I guess that's left to the imagination.
March 7, 2020
This Lovecraft short might be best known for being the story that introduces the fictional town of Arkham in the Lovecraft universe.
It's the story of a lone traveler who rides a bike through a storm and seeks shelter in an old decrepit house, only to find out that he isn't alone in it.
It's a solid story with a cannibalism theme.
4 stars!
It's the story of a lone traveler who rides a bike through a storm and seeks shelter in an old decrepit house, only to find out that he isn't alone in it.
It's a solid story with a cannibalism theme.
4 stars!
October 30, 2020
Un relato inquietante desde el principio, con ese ambiente tan especial que puede crear Lovecraft. Me ha gustado como, sin mostrar apenas nada, te ha mostrado la maldad de malo de la historia y la rapidez del protagonista. Lo recomiendo, es cortísimo y se lee en muy poco tiempo.
August 17, 2021
Pues no sé, esperaba algo más.
July 9, 2019
The atmosphere was chilling although the story wasn't scary much but damn the atmosphere....
May 23, 2020
1er relato de Lovecraft que me hace sentir miedo, jdjdjsjsj. Recomiendo completamente su lectura.
September 25, 2018
Me dio la misma sensación de ir al cine a ver una peli de miedo, sabes que algo malo va a suceder, pero aún así, te sorprendes cuando atacan al protagonista.
El final rompe toda esa ambientación que se genera.
El final rompe toda esa ambientación que se genera.
October 29, 2021
I highly suggest listening to Horror Babble's rendition of The Picture in the House while reading the story. It really gave me the hibbie jibbies. A great Halloween treat for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiaUv...
"Donald R. Burleson's 1983 study of Lovecraft's work adjudges The Picture in the House as demonstrating that 'as early as 1920 Lovecraft was capable of weaving a powerful tale of horror - capable of evoking and sustaining mood through highly artful use of language, capable of exercising control of focus in handling his characters, and capable of using his native New England as a locale for horrors as potent as those to be entertained in more conventional settings.' " Donald R. Burleson, H.P. Lovecraft: A Critical Study. Westport CT and London: Greenwood Press, 1983, p. 46
"Donald R. Burleson's 1983 study of Lovecraft's work adjudges The Picture in the House as demonstrating that 'as early as 1920 Lovecraft was capable of weaving a powerful tale of horror - capable of evoking and sustaining mood through highly artful use of language, capable of exercising control of focus in handling his characters, and capable of using his native New England as a locale for horrors as potent as those to be entertained in more conventional settings.' " Donald R. Burleson, H.P. Lovecraft: A Critical Study. Westport CT and London: Greenwood Press, 1983, p. 46
September 25, 2018
cuento de lovecraft que me estremeció un poco, aunque supongo que no tiene unefecto inmediato como para decir que se me enchinó la piel o me aterró, aunque imagino que para ese chico sí que lo fue... al menos en el final da a entender que por el bien de sumente olvidó (o imaginó) ese suceso. bien para comenzar con algún cuentito suyo, pienso yo.
September 26, 2018
Me gusta muchísimo cómo escribe Lovecraft y sus atmósferas llenas de adjetivos horrorosos. Esta vez no se quedó atrás con las descripciones, pero si encontré un poco mezquino el final.
Leído en La Isla Perdida
Criatura: Caníbales
Leído en La Isla Perdida
Criatura: Caníbales
September 26, 2018
Pues... no ha estado mal, aunque no ha sido impresionante. Lo que más me ha gustado, es la forma de narrar de Lovecraft (es lo primero que leo suyo y me ha sorprendido gratamente). Por lo demás, esperaba que me diera más miedo, o repulsión. Esperaba más sangre, algo más grotesco... pero no.
April 11, 2012
I absolutely loved this, Lovecraft paints a bleak and unsettling scenario, depicting the landscape and surroundings vividly.
A proper creepy house setting, building the tension and pacing it beautifully.
The characters are drawn brilliantly, and the story underpinning it is suitably strong and impressive.
Lovecraft manages to elicit some genuine suspense and fear from a picture. In these days of all out gore I appreciated the subtlty of his writing.
A proper creepy house setting, building the tension and pacing it beautifully.
The characters are drawn brilliantly, and the story underpinning it is suitably strong and impressive.
Lovecraft manages to elicit some genuine suspense and fear from a picture. In these days of all out gore I appreciated the subtlty of his writing.
October 21, 2018
MYGOD, THAT WAS GOOD
for audiobook lovers, here's a good narration/acting for freeeee
https://youtu.be/BtiSz-Hzjx0
for audiobook lovers, here's a good narration/acting for freeeee
https://youtu.be/BtiSz-Hzjx0
January 6, 2019
This short story was hard for me to enjoy because of the bafflingly overt racism.
October 30, 2020
Me quedo con la atmósfera lograda por el autor en el relato, el final me dejó indiferente.
March 3, 2017
I can't help but feel that this story is a little unfinished. I admire some of the elements that Lovecraft put into this, but somehow they never quite came together for me.
But I've gone ahead and tried to arrange my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"A baleful taint grows,
Near home, and the more gruesome,
For neglectful hands."
But I've gone ahead and tried to arrange my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"A baleful taint grows,
Near home, and the more gruesome,
For neglectful hands."
May 30, 2020
Curiosity and slowly building tension make this one enjoyable.
July 4, 2023
7,5/10
In der Kurzgeschichte " The picture in the House" geht es um einen Protagonisten, der auf dem Weg zur Stadt Arkham in einen Sturm gerät und in einem Haus Zuflucht sucht.
Das Haus stößt ihn zwar ab aber ihm bleibt keine Wahl.
In dem Haus scheint niemand zu leben also tritt er ein.
Dort findet er ein Buch von besonderem Interesse. Ein Werk von dem der Gelehrte schon öfters gehört, es aber noch nie gesehen hatte.
Ein Bild in dem Buch verstört ihn besonders.
Ein Fleischer in einer Siedlung von Ureinwohnern in Kongo, der Menschenfleisch zubereitet. Es scheint so zu sein, dass das Buch ganz automatisch diese Seiten aufschlägt.
Als er Schritte von oben hört bekommt er Besuch von dem Hauseigentümer, einem alten, schmutzigen und ungebildeten Mann.
Dieser erzählt von dem Buch, dass sein l
Lieblingsbuch ist und wie er es erhalten hat, aber auch, dass er es nicht zu lesen vermag. Er schaut sich immerzu die Bilder an. Der Protagonist übersetzt ihm eine Zeile und anschließend zeigt ihm der alte Mann sein Lieblingsbild. Das Bild des Menschen-Fleischers.
Er erzählt ihm immer mehr davon, dass er es gerne selbst ausprobieren wollte, aber immer nur Ziegen aus Spaß geschlachtet hatte.
Es wird immer merkwürdiger und beim Klimax der Eigenartigkeit, tropft Blut von oben und das Haus in nur noch ein Hauen Asche.
Es war eine sehr merwürdige und undurchschaubare Geschichte, das will ich nicht leugnen, aber ich habe die wachsende Gefahr gespürt, die der alte Mann mehr und mehr ausströmte. Es war ein beklemmender Horror und wirklich gut. Der Anfang und das Ende waren ein wenig zu komisch, vielleicht habe ich sie auch nicht ausreichend verstanden aber der Mittelteil war sagenhaft.
Gerne mehr Beklemmung und Verzweiflung!
In der Kurzgeschichte " The picture in the House" geht es um einen Protagonisten, der auf dem Weg zur Stadt Arkham in einen Sturm gerät und in einem Haus Zuflucht sucht.
Das Haus stößt ihn zwar ab aber ihm bleibt keine Wahl.
In dem Haus scheint niemand zu leben also tritt er ein.
Dort findet er ein Buch von besonderem Interesse. Ein Werk von dem der Gelehrte schon öfters gehört, es aber noch nie gesehen hatte.
Ein Bild in dem Buch verstört ihn besonders.
Ein Fleischer in einer Siedlung von Ureinwohnern in Kongo, der Menschenfleisch zubereitet. Es scheint so zu sein, dass das Buch ganz automatisch diese Seiten aufschlägt.
Als er Schritte von oben hört bekommt er Besuch von dem Hauseigentümer, einem alten, schmutzigen und ungebildeten Mann.
Dieser erzählt von dem Buch, dass sein l
Lieblingsbuch ist und wie er es erhalten hat, aber auch, dass er es nicht zu lesen vermag. Er schaut sich immerzu die Bilder an. Der Protagonist übersetzt ihm eine Zeile und anschließend zeigt ihm der alte Mann sein Lieblingsbild. Das Bild des Menschen-Fleischers.
Er erzählt ihm immer mehr davon, dass er es gerne selbst ausprobieren wollte, aber immer nur Ziegen aus Spaß geschlachtet hatte.
Es wird immer merkwürdiger und beim Klimax der Eigenartigkeit, tropft Blut von oben und das Haus in nur noch ein Hauen Asche.
Es war eine sehr merwürdige und undurchschaubare Geschichte, das will ich nicht leugnen, aber ich habe die wachsende Gefahr gespürt, die der alte Mann mehr und mehr ausströmte. Es war ein beklemmender Horror und wirklich gut. Der Anfang und das Ende waren ein wenig zu komisch, vielleicht habe ich sie auch nicht ausreichend verstanden aber der Mittelteil war sagenhaft.
Gerne mehr Beklemmung und Verzweiflung!
October 8, 2024
El principio me pareció algo aburrido pero ya lo demas muy bien. Me gustó lo que contiene el libro, la ilustraciones muy crudas. El final algo raro, entiendo que al estar viendo los dos el libro, algo mató a ambos
September 3, 2019
Reminiscent in a sense of Poe's works.
November 27, 2019
A lone traveler seeks shelter from an approaching storm in an apparently abandoned house, only to find that it is occupied by a "loathsome old, white-bearded, and ragged man."
November 24, 2021
Oooh, effectively deliciously creepy. Lovecraft clearly loves to craft (heh) with words, all the words. And damned if he doesn't do a fine job of it!
Ps: turns out this was one of his earliest stories published... in 1920!
Ps: turns out this was one of his earliest stories published... in 1920!
April 14, 2024
Historia intrigante con Un final más que abierto, entretenido en agradable cantidad.
June 13, 2010
Another Lovecraft horror tale, now this one is good. A traveller seeks shelter in a supposedly abandoned house when it begins to rain, well, he walks into this room and finds lots of old books, soon hears footsteps, a really old man appears, etc, etc, blood starts dropping from the ceiling, etc., etc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews