Watch as Van Gogh’s Famous Self-Portrait Morphs Into a Photograph

It’s a reality of big city living that one occasionally stumbles upon some famous person behaving like a mere civilian, out walking the dog, buying a latte, or taking the kids to some child-centric event. I’m bad at recognizing these luminaries out of context, which may be why I’m great at mistakenly believing some random citizen standing beside me at an intersection is in fact a noted author or beloved character actor. I have thus far never labored under the delusion that the guy across the aisle on the F train to Brooklyn is a one-eared Dutch post-Impressionist who died over a hundred years ago, but that could change.

van gogh portrait photo

Or not. According to Lithuanian architect and photographer Tadao Cern, the friend who served as the model for his digital recreation of Vincent Van Gogh’s iconic self-portrait doesn’t resemble the painter all that much beyond his ginger hair and beard. After taking his picture, Cern devoted a day to adjusting colors and exposure in Lightroom and fine tuning a host of details in Photoshop. Suddenly, the similarities were uncanny.

vg Self-PortraitAnd since every Frankenstein needs a bride, Cern has cobbled together a Mona Lisa to keep Van Gogh company.

via The Atlantic

Related Content:

Morphing Van Gogh Portraits

Simon Schama Presents Van Gogh and the Beginning of Modern Art

Ayun Halliday is posting from the wilds of Cape Cod, where she once spotted John Waters riding his bicycle to Safeway in a yellow slicker and matching all-weather pants. Follow her @AyunHalliday


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