Pictures at an Exhibition
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| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Pictures at an Exhibition |
| Author(s): | Kellie Matthews |
| Date(s): | 2004 |
| Length: | 140 KB |
| Genre: | slash |
| Fandom: | Man from U.N.C.L.E. |
| External Links: | Picture at and Exhibition at author's website Pictures at an Exhibition at Chrome and Gunmetal |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Pictures at an Exhibition is a Man from U.N.C.L.E. Solo/Kuryakin story by Kellie Matthews.
Reactions and Reviews
It seems that every fandom has some particularly thorny element that authors feel compelled to try to explain or to just AU out of existence. In the MFU fandom, I would have to say that, hands down, this would be the made-for-TV movie (“The Fifteen Years Later Affair”) made long after the end of the series and the referenced fifteen-year separation of Napoleon and Illya. Kellie tackles this subject with Pictures at an Exhibition. She structures the story as a string of related scenes chronicling their relationship with a clever recurring device of comfort soup. The slow development of Napoleon and Illya’s relationship is lovely and genuine – and the two of them are utter boys in that they don’t exactly communicate. Kellie’s explanation for the fifteen-year separation is believable and heartbreaking in how preventable and downright pointless it is. But there is a happy ending of the smooshiest kind I promise! [1]
Why this story must be read:Kellie is well-known for her writing, and deservedly so. Her characters stay very true to canon and the dialog sounds just like the television show. Her stories have interesting plots and the language is witty and sophisticated.
This particular story traces the development of the relationship between Napoleon and Illya in a series of vignettes over the years of their partnership, beginning at the point where they are still addressing each other by last name and ending when they reunite after the 15 year separation.
And, of course, there are some fantastic sex scenes between the two men, both when they are young and when they are middle-aged. Even better is the depiction of the affection and friendship between the two men. Then there is Kellie’s treatment of Illya’s reaction to Napoleon’s leaving. It could be very angsty in the hands of another writer, but Kellie makes it more bittersweet and poignant.[2]
I've always liked the way Kellie Mathews portrays Napoleon and Illya, two strong men who, if they have a major weakness, it's each other. And I've always thought this story's reason for the separation the most logical of all the reasons I've ever run across. Thanks for bringing it to mind with the rec; it was a joy to reread.[3]