What an interesting thread. I have little to add except to point out that there are references to previous games by Ryan Veeder in Ryan Veeder’s Authentic Fly Fishing. For example, Zuleika is from Taco Fiction, Malcolm knows about Captain Verdeterre, the graffiti word “RIEDOU” references The Ascent of the Gothic Tower, and the woods region is a clear reference to Crocodracula. Well, clear to me, at least.
So… I think it’s at least possible that the lodge portrait, the under bridge painting by “BJ”, and the angel statue are also references to other games, even if I don’t know which ones they might be from. I guess we all will have to play every single game that Ryan Veeder ever wrote just to be sure.