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Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Illustrations, Volume One
Sherlock Holmes is truly a 'Man for All Seasons' and his image has been worked and re-worked for over a century. Unsurprisingly the illustrated Holmes of 1887 differs from that of today. In this multi-volume work, we will show how various illustrators have visualised Holmes and other characters who appeared in Arthur Conan Doyle's works. Later volumes will celebrate Holmes in non-Canonical stories as illustrators and authors placed Holmes in fresh adventures, but more of that later.
This volume is not going to be diverse; it is true to say that one person dominates. While it is true that there are illustrations by Charles Altamont Doyle, David Henry Friston, James Grieg, and Walter Stanley Paget - the majority of this book is dominated by one person - Sidney Paget. Just as nine tenths of an iceberg lies under the water; this book is overwhelmingly Sidney Paget.
If you are an admirer of his work, you are in for a treat as every Sidney Paget Sherlock Holmes illustration is here providing all the atmosphere of the period - the fog-filled labyrinth of London, the desolation of Dartmoor, and, perhaps his most famous illustration as Holmes and Moriarty fight to the death at the top of the Reichenbach Falls.
What can you expect to find within this initial volume?
- The first images by David Henry Friston for Beeton's Christmas Annual, where Sherlock Holmes is seen for the first time with magnifying glass and impressive sideburns in the story A Study in Scarlet.
- Images from A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four when they appeared in the lesser-known Bristol Observer.
- James Greig's drawings for A Study in Scarlet in 1895 and again in 1896.
- Six illustrations by Arthur Conan Doyle's father Charles Altamont Doyle for the 1888 A Study in Scarlet
- Four images by Sidney's younger brother Walter Paget from The Adventure of the Dying Detective' in The Strand Magazine (1913.)
After that it's back-to-back Sidney Paget, commencing with A Scandal in Bohemia and ending with The Adventure of the Second Stain.
This volume is not going to be diverse; it is true to say that one person dominates. While it is true that there are illustrations by Charles Altamont Doyle, David Henry Friston, James Grieg, and Walter Stanley Paget - the majority of this book is dominated by one person - Sidney Paget. Just as nine tenths of an iceberg lies under the water; this book is overwhelmingly Sidney Paget.
If you are an admirer of his work, you are in for a treat as every Sidney Paget Sherlock Holmes illustration is here providing all the atmosphere of the period - the fog-filled labyrinth of London, the desolation of Dartmoor, and, perhaps his most famous illustration as Holmes and Moriarty fight to the death at the top of the Reichenbach Falls.
What can you expect to find within this initial volume?
- The first images by David Henry Friston for Beeton's Christmas Annual, where Sherlock Holmes is seen for the first time with magnifying glass and impressive sideburns in the story A Study in Scarlet.
- Images from A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four when they appeared in the lesser-known Bristol Observer.
- James Greig's drawings for A Study in Scarlet in 1895 and again in 1896.
- Six illustrations by Arthur Conan Doyle's father Charles Altamont Doyle for the 1888 A Study in Scarlet
- Four images by Sidney's younger brother Walter Paget from The Adventure of the Dying Detective' in The Strand Magazine (1913.)
After that it's back-to-back Sidney Paget, commencing with A Scandal in Bohemia and ending with The Adventure of the Second Stain.
398 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2022
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August 3, 2025
This 400-page hardback, published by MX Publishing in 2021, is the first in a multi-volume series that explores how illustrators have brought Sherlock Holmes to life across generations. Foy’s approach is meticulous, almost archival, with a clear affection for the visual legacy of Holmes.
• Sidney Paget dominates, and unapologetically so. Paget’s moody, fog-drenched London and dramatic depictions (especially the Reichenbach Falls showdown) are the backbone of this volume.
Other illustrators make appearances:• David Henry Friston: The first visual Holmes in Beeton’s Christmas Annual (1887), complete with sideburns and magnifying glass. Charles Altamont Doyle (Arthur Conan Doyle’s father): Six haunting illustrations from the 1888 A Study in Scarlet. James Greig: Sparse but notable contributions from 1895–96. Walter Paget: Four illustrations from The Adventure of the Dying Detective (1913).
It’s not just a picture book, it’s a study in visual storytelling, showing how Holmes’ image evolved from Victorian eccentric to cultural icon.
Foy’s commentary is witty and self-aware. He even warns readers: “If you are a sufferer of Pagetitus or a Pagetphobic, please do not buy this book.” That kind of cheeky candor feels right up my alley.
If you’re drawn to the interplay between text and image — especially how illustrations shape our emotional connection to characters — this book is a treasure trove. It’s also a love letter to the illustrators who helped define Holmes’ mystique long before film adaptations took over.
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• Sidney Paget dominates, and unapologetically so. Paget’s moody, fog-drenched London and dramatic depictions (especially the Reichenbach Falls showdown) are the backbone of this volume.
Other illustrators make appearances:• David Henry Friston: The first visual Holmes in Beeton’s Christmas Annual (1887), complete with sideburns and magnifying glass. Charles Altamont Doyle (Arthur Conan Doyle’s father): Six haunting illustrations from the 1888 A Study in Scarlet. James Greig: Sparse but notable contributions from 1895–96. Walter Paget: Four illustrations from The Adventure of the Dying Detective (1913).
It’s not just a picture book, it’s a study in visual storytelling, showing how Holmes’ image evolved from Victorian eccentric to cultural icon.
Foy’s commentary is witty and self-aware. He even warns readers: “If you are a sufferer of Pagetitus or a Pagetphobic, please do not buy this book.” That kind of cheeky candor feels right up my alley.
If you’re drawn to the interplay between text and image — especially how illustrations shape our emotional connection to characters — this book is a treasure trove. It’s also a love letter to the illustrators who helped define Holmes’ mystique long before film adaptations took over.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review