French Artist Gave Celebrities a Classical Painting Makeover And They Ended Up Looking Incredible
They somehow fit into those eras perfectly.
Portraits have always been a great way for people of status and power to display their elevated social rank. They dominated that field back in the day, mainly due to the expensive costs associated with commissioning a painting. Photographs have eventually rendered portraits obsolete; they are not only much cheaper, but they're also instant and incredibly accurate.
Today, you don't have to be royalty to immortalize your image, because everyone has access to the technology. However, if you are an average person, no one will really care about your portrait. In a way, the nobles and royalty have been replaced by celebrities today. Anything related to these individuals garners an insane amount of attention, which is sad, but that's not our subject today.
French artist Kyès came up with a great idea that enables us to travel back in time and see our celebrities portrayed as royalty. In his artworks, he digitally substitutes important figures from the past with what would be considered pop culture icons today.
It's a quite interesting concept that is executed so well, thanks to Kyès' amazing artistic skills. Scroll down and check them out for yourself; they are truly captivating.
1. Snoop Dogg
Of course, they had to include the Dogg.
kyesone2. Johnny Depp
I don't know about the earrings, though; I don't think that was acceptable at the time.
kyesone3. Madonna
The perfect combination of colors and accessories.
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4. Hayao Miyazaki
He might already have something like this.
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5. Rihanna
Rihanna would look good in any situation.
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6. Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was left-handed, though; time to repaint.
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7. Queen Latifah
This could be the new Mona Lisa.
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8. Mark Hamill
Gets burned for being a wizard and wielding a glowing sword.
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9. Carrie Fisher
Pearl earrings would have looked stunning with this.
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10. Mick Jagger
This should be framed and hung somewhere.
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11. Björk
This one has a totally different vibe; I love it!
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12. Forest Whitaker
He should dress up more; this is a good look on him.
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13. Katy Perry
I thought this was Zooey Deschanel at first.
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14. Eminem
The holy hand grenade of Antioch.
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15. Debbie Harry
What is she looking at?
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16. Ice Cube
That stare and those facial expressions are just perfect, lmao.
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17. Sean Connery
I think Sean would enjoy seeing this.
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18. Adele
Adele doesn't even look like this anymore.
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19. Sade
The face is a little too bright.
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20. Billie Eilish
Billie can pull off anything!
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21. Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino
I still can't take him seriously; he's hilarious. 😂
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22. Amy Winehouse
This belongs in a museum.
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23. Michael Jackson
He was such a cutie.
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24. Kurt Cobain
Rest in peace, you legend.
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25. Daft Punk
Knights in incredibly shiny armor, almost blinding, lol.
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26. Erykah Badu
The attention to detail is just amazing.
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27. André 3000
The head and hand pose are perfect.
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28. Al Pacino aka Tony Montana
A French Duke with his cigar and hand pose.
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29. Anya Taylor-Joy
She fits in so well! She looks like she could be from another century.
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30. Jay-Z & Beyonce
Is that a bong on the table or what?
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31. Lil Wayne
This is high art at its finest.
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Portraits continue to symbolize elevated social status, as not everyone has access to the talent required to create such art. As Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, states, "Art can serve as a reflection of our identity and social standing." When visiting someone's home and encountering a large portrait, it's natural to assume they possess considerable wealth, unless they are artists themselves, which might seem a bit self-indulgent. For more insights into how art influences perception and identity, you can explore Dr. Solomon's work on her professional website here.
