History is the stuff of books; old, flat, and forgotten by most. It can be easy for non-history buffs to forget that the world-historical figures they learned about in school were real, flesh-and-blood people not that long ago. And while paintings and sculptures remind us of this fact they are still mainly relegated to museums and those aforementioned textbooks, artifacts and not living things.
Now one artist, who describes herself as a graphic designer and history enthusiast, is doing something to change that. Using the Instagram account Royalty Now Becca Saladin has taken a digital paintbrush to those likenesses of yore, filling them with color and updating them with a modern look that makes them look very much alive.
The effect is both fascinating and startling. Queen Elizabeth looks like the spoiled child of Hollywood royalty, Napoleon looks like a conservative TV news pundit, while Alexander the Great looks like he should have a recurring role in a teen drama on the CW.
This is what the kings and queens of bygone eras would have looked like today.
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Caligula, infamous brat & Roman Emperor. Does he look like you thought he would? 😏