In school many of you spent a lot of time reading about historical figures. Maybe, back then, it was not that interesting or fascinating, but have you ever tried to create a mental image of that particular figure? Obviously, this image would be much catchier if it approached the reality of the time in which you live. If not, there is an answer for you. An artist named Becca Saladin has been transforming historical figures into modern-day people. She is the graphic designer behind Royalty Now, a project where he is re-portraying a lot of historical figures, including Mona Lisa, Julius Caesar or even Jane Austen. You have pretty much everything in there, so be ready to get a new modern twist!
1. Nefertiti
Nefertiti was an Egyptian queen, the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. She was famous for her role in the religious revolution, in which she worshipped one god only, Aten, or the sun disc. Besides these historical aspects, Nefertiti had many titles, including ‘Great of Praises’, ‘Lady of Grace’ or ‘Lady of All Women’. Maybe she was the first feminist icon as her name can be translated as ‘The Beautiful Woman has Come’.
2. Julius Caesar
Isn’t he handsome based on his modern-day transformation?
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role for the rise of the Roman Empire and rose to become one of the most powerful politicians in the Roman Republic. The General created a program of social and governmental reforms, including the creation of the Julian calendar. Furthermore, he was an accomplished author and historian and the first Roman General to cross the English Channel and the Rhine River.
3.Queen Elizabeth I
Her presence was intimidating, in her present-day illustration she looks much relaxed, still she has that tough face.
Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. She has an interesting story, in fact her parents’ marriage collapsed, and she was declared illegitimate, but she was a strong queen: ‘I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.’ (Tilbury’s speech). Especially, there existed a ‘cult’ surrounding her: the Cult of the Virgin Queen. According to public opinion, she was a virgin and precisely because of this she was highly venerated.
4. Alexander The Great
Alexander The Great was the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and one of history’s greatest military minds. By the age of thirty, as King of Macedonia and Persia, he created one of the largest empires in the ancient world. In 15 years of conquest Alexander never lost a battle. Aristotle was his tutor. The cause of Alexander’s death remains one of the greaters mysteries of the ancient world.
Allegedly, he had heterochromia, namely his eyes were two different colors. Also, Alexander had a reputation as a big drinker, but it cannot be depicted in his modern-day picture, can it? He was indeed a handsome prince and would be a great figure for fairy tale.
5. Jane Austen
Her face looks rather plain.
Jane Austen was a great English novelist known for her plots often exploring the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic safety. She believed that a woman should not get married if she was not in love. Her works are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her most famous novel was Pride and Prejudice.
She lived a fairly uneventful life. Therefore, her father’s death ruined the family finances and even if Jane wrote about love, she never found it herself. What is even more tragic, she was not recognized for her writing until shortly before her death.
6. Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, legislator and vocal opponent of slavery, was the 16th president of the United States. Lincoln proved to be a shrewd military strategist and His Emancipation Proclamation paved the way for slavery’s abolition. His Gettysburg Address stands as one of the most famous pieces of oratory in American history. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth and he became a martyr to the cause of liberty.
7.Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a world-famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci. The subject of the painting is Lisa del Giocondo, a member of one of the wealthiest families in Florence. The sitter’s mysterious smile and her unproven identity have made the painting a source of ongoing investigation and fascination.
8.Botticelli’s Venus
The modern version is just as beautiful as the original.
Sandro Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Rennaissance. Completed in 1486, Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus has become a lasting symbol of feminine grace and beauty. He painted her so beautifully with such delicate features.
9.Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was a French military leader and emperor who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th century. As a true leader, he rapidly rose through the ranks of the military during the French Revolution (1789-1799). He was actually 5′7′′ which is taller than many other kings.
