Mesmerizing photographs of historical figures with their direct descendants
I believe we have deep, bone knowledge that comes from our ancestors.
"British photographer Drew Gardner has spent the last 15 years searching for the direct descendants of major historical figures, with a very specific purpose in mind: To create paired portraits that span the centuries.
"Gardner’s meticulously staged photographs have the fascinating effect of bringing these historical portraits (some of which, like the Mona Lisa, are universally recognizable images) into a new light, giving life and new meaning to renowned figures from our past by creating a bridge to living people who already share a connection with them through familial descent.
"With an exquisite attention to detail that ranges from sourcing period costumes and props to exactly recreating the lighting, Gardner’s final portraits are mesmerizing, both because of the profound feeling of a link to history that they engender, and because of the natural curiosity and wonder that comes from contemplating family resemblance across the centuries."
Story by Jack Shepard on Medium.com.
Photo:
Left: Shannon Lanier, the Sixth Great Grandson of Thomas Jefferson. Right: “Portrait of Thomas Jefferson,” by Rembrandt Peale, 1800. By Drew Gardner.
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Odd. One of my customers once was a small company whose CEO had a strange hobby.
He belonged to a group that acted out famous paintings.
They would rent a facility with a stage and the audience would gather for the unveiling. The curtain would pull back and Whistler's Mother or Washington Crossing the Delaware or something would be revealed. Then the curtain would be replaced so they could prepare for the next one.
It struck me as a lot of effort for not much gain or meaning.
And these images seem to me to be in the same vein.
The article mentions the efforts made to replicate lighting, etc for the pictures. I wonder how far they went. I assume they sized the subjects in the photos to match the paintings and they also styled the hair and clothes. Would they also have used wigs?
I guess the whole thing is a mildly interesting exercise but it probably wouldn't be worth the effort for me. Ha, ha.
RichCC
Level 8
July 28, 2020
1
When I was a kid, my grandmother would take us to a huge art thingy where they did a bunch of live painting reinacting. It was pretty cool . They still run it, although this year is cancelled. [foapom.com]
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