So, there I was, on the hunt for that darn Solemn Painting in Animal Crossing. You know how Blathers gets, always wanting more bits and bobs for the museum, and I’m out here trying to deliver, really I am.
Redd, that sneaky fox, finally decided to grace my island with his presence, rolling up in that shady boat of his. And what do you know, he’s got a painting that looks suspiciously like the Solemn Painting. Las Meninas, if you wanna get all art history about it. But I’ve been stung by that fella before. Oh, more times than I care to admit, if I’m honest.
The Great Art Detective Act
I found myself squinting at my Switch screen, trying to pick out the details. They don’t make it easy on you, do they? The lighting in Redd’s treasure trawler is just awful, probably by design, the crafty so-and-so. I’d heard whispers this particular painting had a real sneaky fake. So, what’s a dedicated island rep to do? I whipped out my phone and pulled up a guide. Yeah, yeah, I know, but we all do it, don’t pretend you don’t.
The key, or so the internet told me, was this fella standing in the doorway, way in the back of the painting. In the genuine article, his hand is sort of hanging down by his side. But in the fake, that same guy has his hand raised up, like he’s trying to ask a question in class or waving at someone off-canvas. It’s a tiny thing, but it’s the whole shebang when it comes to telling real from rubbish.
- Leaned in close to the screen.
- Muttered a bit under my breath, probably sounded bonkers.
- Cross-referenced with the guide pics like my life depended on it.
You might think, why get so worked up about a tiny detail in a video game painting? Well, lemme tell ya, it reminds me of this one time I was wrestling with a flat-pack bookshelf. The instructions were basically scribbles, and one tiny hole, just one, was off by a hair. The whole darn thing wouldn’t go together right. Hours I spent, fuming. It’s always those little details that’ll get you, in games or in assembling cheap furniture, mark my words.
Anyway, back to Redd and his questionable wares. This particular “Solemn Painting” he was trying to palm off on me? The dude in the doorway had his hand pointing straight up. Aha! Caught red-handed, you might say. A fake! I almost snorted. “Not this time, Redd, not this time,” I thought to myself. Felt pretty smug, I won’t lie.
Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (and Scrutinize)
So, naturally, I gave that forgery a hard pass. Which meant, of course, I had to wait for Redd to decide to visit again. And as any seasoned islander knows, that can take an absolute age. It’s almost like he’s got a sixth sense for when you’re desperate for something specific, and then he makes sure to bring everything but. Standard Redd behavior, really.
But then, finally, maybe a few weeks later, there he was again. And lo and behold, another Solemn Painting. I went through my whole detective routine again. The squinting, the comparing, the zooming in as far as the game would possibly let me. And there it was – the little guy in the background, hand clearly, unmistakably, down by his side. Jackpot!
Felt a real sense of accomplishment, you know? Scooped it up, marched right over to the museum, and handed it over to Blathers. He did his little happy hoot and flutter. Another masterpiece for the hallowed halls. For me, it’s not really about blitzing through the museum collection as fast as possible. It’s these little wins, these moments of outsmarting the game, or at least outsmarting Redd. That’s where the real satisfaction is.
I suppose some folks just buy any old thing Redd offers and cross their fingers, or they fiddle with their game clocks to speed things up. But where’s the thrill in that? It’s like looking up all the answers to a pub quiz before you’ve even had a go. Just sucks all the joy out of it. Honestly, figuring out the genuine articles from the fakes is half the fun of collecting art in ACNH. It’s a bit of a pain, sure, but it’s a good kind of pain. The kind that makes the eventual prize feel all the sweeter.