Pastiches

Pastiches are works that imitate the style, voice, or conventions of another author, artist, or historical period. They are often created as homage or fan engagement rather than to critique or mock. The term derives from the French pastiche, meaning a work assembled from stylistic elements of earlier models. In a pastiche, the imitator does not claim original authorship of the voice or system being imitated.

Pastiches appear across media, including literature, film, music, and visual arts. They emphasize technique, genre conventions, or narrative voice to evoke a particular era or author. They can function as affectionate tribute, as a means of experimentation, or as a way to explore alternative voices within a familiar framework.

Notable examples and uses include literary pastiches that imitate Victorian or classic detective fiction as tribute; works like John Fowles’s The French Lieutenant’s Woman are described by critics as Victorian pastiches. In cinema, Quentin Tarantino’s films are widely discussed as pastiche, blending elements from spaghetti westerns, kung fu cinema, and exploitation genres in a single work. In theory and fiction, authors such as Umberto Eco and Jorge Luis Borges are noted for pastiche-like blends of genres, voices, and historical periods. The detective fiction tradition contains numerous Holmes pastiches that imitate Doyle’s original style.

Reception and issues: pastiches can broaden access to older styles, encourage stylistic experimentation, and illuminate genre conventions. They also raise questions about originality and authorship, and may blur lines between homage, derivative work, and plagiarism depending on intent and execution.