Commentary On Status: 15 Historic Portraits Of Elites Get A Makeover From This Artist

Artist Volker Hermes from Düsseldorf continues to add a twist to historical portraits by covering their faces in different ways. The artist shared that he uses Photoshop for that; however, Volker only reshapes the elements that are already in the paintings to hide people's individuality.

Hermes's Hidden Portraits series acts as a commentary on wealth, fame, and social status. The artist previously wrote: "Portraits were commissioned only by the elite. They were amazingly expensive and full of codes and allusions in clothing or with attributes that refer to a high rank, which we no longer understand because our society is different. That's why we today look at the portrayed ones mostly in the face because we don't understand the codes of the rest of the picture anymore. I block this access—I cover the person, and one must now look at the painting completely differently. But I use allusions to our society today, so I bring together the past and the present."

Volker's paintings were especially relatable during pandemic times as we all had to cover our faces, and his art also reflected our situation at the time.

More info: Instagram | volkerhermes.de | accartbooks.com

15 PHOTOS

#1 Hidden Ingres III, Photocollage 2023

#2 Hidden Waldmüller II Photocollage 2021

#3 Hidden Romney II, Photocollage 2024

#4

#5 Hidden Gower, Photocollage 2021

#6 Hidden Lely V Photocollage 2024

#7 Hidden Noble Man, Photocollage 2021

#8 Hidden Bouguereau II Photocollage 2024

#9 Hidden Girodet-Trioson II, Photocollage 2024

#10 Hidden Pourbus Ix, Photocollage 2024

#11 Hidden Mengs II, Photocollage 2024

#12 Hidden Venetian School, Photocollage 2024

#13 Hidden Waldmüller Iv Photocollage 2024

#14 Hidden Dantan, Photocollage 2024

#15 Hidden Jerndorff, Photocollage 2022