‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ Pickman’s Model Ending, Explained

Welcome to the Ending Explained for Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Episode 5, Pickman’s Model. The episode, now available on Netflix, is an adaptation of the story of the same name, written by H.P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft is one of the most influential writers in the history of literature, especially within the fantasy and horror genres. Guillermo del Toro is just one of the many artists that the writer has influenced, and when given a chance, the director always tries to incorporate a bit of Lovecraft’s essence into his work.

The episode stars Ben Barnes, Crispin Glover, and Oriana Leman. The episodes tackle the theme of how many artists receive advice to paint or write about what they know. So, what would that mean when we see pictures or tales that are so horrifying? What does that tell us about the people making the art itself? The answer to the question is terrifying, and the main character discovers it in some truly awful ways. The episode takes some liberties with the short story but retains the tale’s essence.

The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, Episode 5, Pickman’s Model.

What Are Pickman’s Paintings About?

The episode introduces our main character, Will, a young art student. Will is quite talented, if a bit petulant about his own talents, and doesn’t take his art classes very seriously. Nevertheless, his passion for art is very much alive, and he takes it very seriously. We see him for the first time drawing his beautiful girlfriend and then escaping from her room before their parents find him out. Later, Will goes to class at the Miskatonic University, one of the most famous locations in the Cthulhu Mythos.

In the class, they are introduced to a new class member, a man named Richard Pickman. Everyone in the class starts drawing a male model, but Will cannot help but be curious about what Pickman is drawing, as there is so much intensity in his strokes. When he sees the drawing, he feels engrossed by the dark depiction of the human form. After class, Will asks about Pickman, discovering that the man has been seen drawing at the local cemetery.

At the cemetery, Will meets Richard, and they introduce themselves. Richard shows Will his sketchbook, and Will cannot be but entangled by the talents of Pickman. However, each picture is darker and more horrific than the last, and Will doesn’t know how to react. Some days later, after receiving a very brutal critique from the university teachers, Pickman invites Will to his home so that he can look at other pictures. At his home, Pickman shows Will a terrifying painting of what he calls his great-great-great grandmother and her coven. The group of people is seen eating another human.

The painting has caused such an impact on Will that he escapes the room and runs as if his life depended on it. Since that moment, it seems that the painting has infected Will, and he cannot stop thinking about the horrific image. The painting plagues his nightmares, and he even starts seeing things while awake.

Who Is Pickman’s Model?

Many years have passed, and Will is not married to his girlfriend, and they have a son named James. Will isn’t a successful artist, but he seems to be in charge of a city museum and is a respected member of the local art society. However, the image of the painting Pickman showed to him that night seems to remain still in his mind. In the mail, he receives a painting by Pickman, which he finds as horrifying as the one he saw decades ago. Sadly, his son, James, also manages to take a look at the painting and starts having terrible nightmares.

At an art society’s meeting, Joe, one of its members, introduces Pickman to the others. Pickman has been nowhere to be seen, but now he has come back with new paintings and is ready to mount an exhibition at the museum. Will tells Joe that he doesn’t think it is a good idea, but Joe dismisses Will’s concerns as the result of jealousy.

Pickman and Will meet once again at the cemetery after Pickman visits Will’s house one night. Will warns Pickman to stay away from his family. Pickman, on the other hand, refers to Will as his only real friend, and he needs Will to see his new paintings. Will’s is the only judgment Pickman cares about. Will refuses, but when Pickman offers to destroy all of his paintings and never see him again, Will accepts. They go to an old house, which Will has seen in his nightmares.

Pickman takes Will to the dark basement. There, Will finds a collection of new paintings. All of them are more terrifying than ever. Will grabs the oil and starts drenching the paintings with it. He needs to destroy the paintings; he thinks they are dangerous. In a rage, Will kills Pickman and burns the entire house. However, before dying, Pickman confesses that all the terrible creatures that appear in his paintings are real. The next day, Will takes his wife and son to the museum and sees that all the paintings he burned are now mounted. He stops his wife and son from watching them and orders them to be taken down.

When he arrives home, he apologizes to his wife for screaming at her at the museum, but he finds her cooking without eyes. The darkness of the painting has consumed her, and she has cooked their young son for dinner. It is implied that Pickman’s family was some Old One Cult, as their prayers contain the names of many Outer Gods and Deep Ones.