"Pittura Infamante"

"It seems one of us will always be out of her favor."

—Ichabod Crane referring to the Sheriff, Leena Reyes

"Pittura Infamante" is the thirteenth episode of Season Two of Fox's Sleepy Hollow. It was written by Melissa Blake and directed by John Leonetti. It is the twenty-sixth episode of the series overall, and debuted on January 19, 2015.

Synopsis[]

After the mysterious death of an art restorer at the Sleepy Hollow Historical Society soiree, Crane and Katrina are reminded of a dear friend from their past - Abigail Adams. Meanwhile, Abbie is surprised by someone's visit to the police precinct.^[1]

Recap[]

Crane and Katrina attempt to reboot their relationship by going on a date at the historical society, but are faced with a murder investigation when the body of Crane's friend, art restorer Grant Hollister, is found in the hanged man position. Katrina remembers her friend, Abigail Adams (Michelle Trachtenberg), speaking of such murders in 1770, and of how she recalled they remained unsolved.

The couple then examines the painting Grant was working on, it was a self portrait by a man called James Colby. Colby it appears, is the murderer from Abigail Adam's investigation, trapped in his own painting, a man who is able to leave the painting at will to kill his victims and drain their blood, so he can complete the inverted cross and his resurrection. They learn from the runes on the frame, that Abigail Adams had discovered Colby was the murderer, and had allowed herself to be captured so she could trap him inside the painting. Crane and Katrina then enter the painting and are able to rescue society member, Miller, and escape. When Colby then completes his resurrection and leaves the painting, Abbie arrives in time to shoot him, and then shoots the painting at Crane's warning, and kills Colby.

While Crane was occupied with the historical society dinner, Abbie struggles to come to terms with Frank Irving's resurrection and has her doubts about his intentions. She then breaks the news to his wife.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane
Nicole Beharie as Lieutenant Abbie Mills
Orlando Jones as Captain Frank Irving
Katia Winter as Katrina Crane
Lyndie Greenwood as Jenny Mills
John Noble as Jeremy Crane (credit only)

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Gregory Nassif St. John as Evan Miller
Daniel Thomas May as James Colby
Parisa Johnston as Docent
Victor Cordova as Officer #1
Shaun Clay as Officer #2
Elise DuQuette as Server

Trivia[]

In Japan, this episode is known as The Bloodstained Canvas (血に染まるキャンバス Chi ni somaru kiyanbasu) and like the US Title, it refers to the ominous painting of the Hanged Man by James Colby.
- The US title "Pittura Infamante" is Italian for "Defaming Portrait" and it refers to a genre of defamatory paintings that were common during the Renaissance period in Italy. It is commissioned by the government to depict humiliating subjects and were meant to be posted publicly as a medium of forensic art and expression of internal struggles against unremedied crimes. The most notable example is the Tarot Card artwork "The Hanged Man" which is similar to the one being painted by James Colby.