The Pandorica Opens
- You may wish to consult
The Pandorica Opens (disambiguation)for other, similarly-named pages.
The Pandorica Opens, also known as Blue Box Exploding, was one of the final paintings by Vincent van Gogh, painted in 1890 and inspired by transmissions he picked up from the Stonehenge of 102 AD.
The painting depicts the Doctor's TARDIS exploding, surrounded by swirls evocative of his The Starry Night. In place of the telephone instructions were the following date and co-ordinates:
- iesVereeris
XXI Januarius CII
51460534, -21194553
510603114, -13168091
50801987, - 19195963
51211350, -96493549
History
Stonehenge concealed the Pandorica, a prison box designed by the Alliance to contain the Eleventh Doctor. The stones were secretly transmitters that broadcast a signal everywhere, throughout time, saying "the Pandorica is opening". Vincent van Gogh heard the transmissions in his dreams and painted The Pandorica Opens.
The painting remained undiscovered behind a wall in an attic in France until 1941, when it came to the attention of Professor Edwin Bracewell. Bracewell took it to Winston Churchill, and the two recognised it as a message to the Doctor. Churchill phoned the Doctor to alert him, but the call was diverted to River Song in the year 5145, alerting her of its existence. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
In the 52nd century, River escaped from the Stormcage Containment Facility in which she was being held, and went in search of the painting. She located it in the Royal Collection, where she tried to steal it to deliver to the Doctor. She was confronted by Liz 10 but was allowed to leave when she explained the nature of the painting to the Queen. River then met with - and blackmailed - Dorium Maldovar to get hold of a vortex manipulator. Using the vortex manipulator, she time-travelled to Planet One and wrote "HELLO SWEETIE ΘΣ Φ ΓΥΔϟ", and the temporal co-ordinates for Britain, 102 AD. There, she gave the Doctor and Amy the painting. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
In the year 3110, the painting was hung in the Musée d'Orsay before being given to the Eleventh Doctor. (PROSE: The War of Art)
