In 1893’s “The Adventure of the Final Problem” (set in 1891), consulting detective Sherlock Holmes reveals to his friend and biographer Doctor Watson that for years now he has suspected many seemingly isolated crimes to actually all be the machinations of a single, vast, and subtle criminal organisation. After investigation, he has uncovered Professor Moriarty as a mastermind who provides strategy and protection to criminals in exchange for obedience and a share in their profits. Moriarty realizes Holmes is aware of his operation and confronts him in person, threatening death if further interference is done. Holmes describes Moriarty’s physical appearance to Watson, saying the professor is extremely tall and thin, clean-shaven, pale, and ascetic-looking. He has a forehead that “domes out in a white curve”, deeply sunken eyes, and shoulders that are “rounded from much study”. His face protrudes forward and is always slowly oscillating from side to side “in a curiously reptilian fashion”. Holmes mentions that during their meeting, Moriarty remarked in surprise, “You have less frontal development than I should have expected,” indicating the criminal believes in phrenology. Holmes ignores the threat and delivers appropriate evidence to the police so Moriarty and those who operate his network will face justice in a few days. Knowing the mastermind and his trusted lieutenants intend to kill him before they hide or are arrested, Holmes flees to Switzerland, and Watson joins him. The mastermind follows, his pursuit ending when he confronts Holmes at the top of the Reichenbach Falls. Watson does not witness the confrontation but arrives later to find signs of hand-to-hand combat occurring at the cliff edge near the waterfall, indicating the battle ended with both men falling to their deaths. Watson also finds a goodbye note left behind by Holmes that Moriarty allowed him to write before their battle. Moriarty plays a direct role in only one other Holmes story, “The Valley of Fear” (1914), set before “The Final Problem” but written afterwards. In The Valley of Fear, Holmes attempts to prevent Moriarty’s men from committing a murder. A policeman who interviewed Moriarty tells Holmes that the professor has a painting by Jean-Baptiste Greuze hanging on his office wall. Learning this, Holmes mentions the great value of another painting by the same artist, pointing out such works could not have been purchased on a university professor’s salary. The work referred to is La jeune fille à l’agneau; which some commentators have described as a pun by Doyle on a famous Thomas Gainsborough painting, the Portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, which was taken from the Thomas Agnew and Sons art gallery. The gallery believed Adam Worth (the criminal who helped inspire Doyle to create Moriarty) was responsible, but was unable to prove the claim.
Alias Professor Moriarty
Real Names/Alt Names Professor Robert/James Moriarty (see “Notes” section)
First Appearance “The Adventure of the Final Problem” in the Strand Magazine (December 1893)
First Publisher George Newnes Ltd.
Appearance List Stories: “The Adventure of the Final Problem” in the Strand Magazine (December 1893), “The Valley of Fear” in the Strand Magazine (between September 1914 and May 1915). Mentioned in “The Adventure of the Empty House” in the Strand Magazine (October 1903), “The Adventure of the Norwood Builder” in the Strand Magazine (November 1903), “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter” in the Strand Magazine (August 1904), “His Last Bow. The War Service of Sherlock Holmes” in the Strand Magazine (1917), “The Adventure of the Illustrious Client” in Collier’s and the Strand Magazine (1924). Collected: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894), The Valley of Fear (1914).
Description In 1893’s “The Adventure of the Final Problem” (set in 1891), consulting detective Sherlock Holmes reveals to his friend and biographer Doctor Watson that for years now he has suspected many seemingly isolated crimes to actually all be the machinations of a single, vast, and subtle criminal organisation. After investigation, he has uncovered Professor Moriarty as a mastermind who provides strategy and protection to criminals in exchange for obedience and a share in their profits. Moriarty realizes Holmes is aware of his operation and confronts him in person, threatening death if further interference is done. Holmes describes Moriarty’s physical appearance to Watson, saying the professor is extremely tall and thin, clean-shaven, pale, and ascetic-looking. He has a forehead that “domes out in a white curve”, deeply sunken eyes, and shoulders that are “rounded from much study”. His face protrudes forward and is always slowly oscillating from side to side “in a curiously reptilian fashion”. Holmes mentions that during their meeting, Moriarty remarked in surprise, “You have less frontal development than I should have expected,” indicating the criminal believes in phrenology. Holmes ignores the threat and delivers appropriate evidence to the police so Moriarty and those who operate his network will face justice in a few days. Knowing the mastermind and his trusted lieutenants intend to kill him before they hide or are arrested, Holmes flees to Switzerland, and Watson joins him. The mastermind follows, his pursuit ending when he confronts Holmes at the top of the Reichenbach Falls. Watson does not witness the confrontation but arrives later to find signs of hand-to-hand combat occurring at the cliff edge near the waterfall, indicating the battle ended with both men falling to their deaths. Watson also finds a goodbye note left behind by Holmes that Moriarty allowed him to write before their battle. Moriarty plays a direct role in only one other Holmes story, “The Valley of Fear” (1914), set before “The Final Problem” but written afterwards. In The Valley of Fear, Holmes attempts to prevent Moriarty’s men from committing a murder. A policeman who interviewed Moriarty tells Holmes that the professor has a painting by Jean-Baptiste Greuze hanging on his office wall. Learning this, Holmes mentions the great value of another painting by the same artist, pointing out such works could not have been purchased on a university professor’s salary. The work referred to is La jeune fille à l’agneau; which some commentators have described as a pun by Doyle on a famous Thomas Gainsborough painting, the Portrait of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, which was taken from the Thomas Agnew and Sons art gallery. The gallery believed Adam Worth (the criminal who helped inspire Doyle to create Moriarty) was responsible, but was unable to prove the claim.
