(Pocket-lint) – Ever wondered what it might be like if the subjects of classic oil paintings had grown old and happy then had their likeness painted again?
Remember when everyone was going crazy for FaceApp?
Well, we’ve used that AI-powered app to transform all the old favourites and show you new visions like you’ve never seen before.Â
Joseph Ducreux growing old gracefully
Baron Ducreux’s self-portrait might be best known for its modern use in internet memes, but it turns out this old oil painting also looks awesome when transformed with the help of AI. Proof that even noble folk don’t have to grow old gracefully?
The Blue Boy becomes a man
From 1770, Thomas Gainsborough’s The Blue Boy is thought to be one of his most famous works. It is thought to show Jonathan Buttle, the son of a wealthy hardware merchant.
Now, with the help of FaceApp, it shows a happy man with a child’s body.
An ageing Prince
This original painting shows Prince Italsky, Count Rymniksky Alexander Arkadyevich Suvorov a Russian general, diplomat and politician. It was painted in 1851 Franz Kruger an artist that was usually known for his lively portraits and pictures of horses.
We’ve now reimagined the Prince at a happy old age, still in his full military getup and looking incredibly pleased with himself.Â
Portrait of a young man
Sandro Botticelli’s portrait of a young man dates back to 1483.
The feminine looks of this individual made the FaceApp system think it was a woman and so he’s been converted into a happy older lady worn by time but not worn down by it.Â
Portrait of Jan Six
Rembrandt’s Portrait of Jan Six was originally crafted in 1654 and showed Jan Six, the son of a well-to-do cloth merchant family and an important cultural figure during the Dutch Golden Age.
He was the son of a mayor and a magistrate but also known for his collection of paintings, drawings and other works of art that became known as “The Six Collection”. This collection has been handed down through the family generations and can still be seen today. Jan Six lived to 73 years of age, which was quite a feat in those days. This sight of him old and happy seems quite fitting.Â
A Portrait of a Youth
This work by Italian artist Raphael was originally titled “A Portrait of a Youth”, so it’s quite fitting that we’ve transformed the subject into a happier and older individual.
A homage to a fantastic artist who has no doubt made plenty of people smile over the centuries.Â
Portrait of a Young Woman
From 1470, this portrait by Petrus Christus showed an unknown woman, but was significant as it marked a new era of Netherlandish portraiture.
The addition of the background wall panels was thought to have been a big deal at the time, though we tend to think a smile and some wrinkles are more impressive.Â
A jolly Henry VIII
King Henry VIII was not especially known for being a cheerful chappy. In fact, he’s probably best known for the line of wives he got through before his death in 1547 at the relatively young age of 55.
In our vision of him, he’s far jollier and we can’t help but think he might have lived a little longer if he was this happy during his reign.
American Gothic
American Gothic might be one of the most well-known examples of American art but we can’t help but think it looks a tad more cheerful with a vision of the famous couple grown old and happy together.Â
Napoleon
Jacques-Louis David is known for painting a fair few images of French statesman and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte.
This one showed him in his study roughly in his 40s. We now see the great man seemingly a lot happier, though in reality, he didn’t live long enough to see old age as he passed away aged 51.Â
The Laughing Cavalier
Frans Hals’ The Laughing Cavalier is one of the most unusual original portraits on our list because it actually shows a subject who already looks fairly cheerful.
A cheeky smile and a wonderfully upturned moustache really make this original oil painting look magnificent. But the addition of some greying hair and the glint of teeth looks even better. This is one cheery old man.Â
A happy politician
Franz Adickes was a German politician who was famously painted by Max Liebermann. What we love about this image though is the chance to make a politician appear cheerful and approachable. A rare sight indeed.
Vincent van Gogh again
We couldn’t help but add another van Gogh classic to this list. The famous painter looks wonderfully happy in this updated version of his self-portrait. Perhaps he would be if he knew just how popular his works are today.Â
The Arnolfini Portrait
The Arnolfini Portrait dates back to 1434 and is thought to be one of the most complex paintings of Western art thanks to the complexity, perspective and contents of the image.
It’s said to show Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, who in our updated image is happy with being a father, even in his old age.Â
Lady with an Ermine
Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Lady with an Ermine is unusual as it’s thought to show Cecilia Gallerani, a woman who was neither wealthy nor noble.
Yet here she is happy posing with a pet for a famous painting. Even in old age, she’s still happy with her favourite furry beast.Â
The Green Line
The Green Stripe is an original image by Henri Matisse that shows his wife in a light that many thought unflattering and caricature-like.
We some age lines and a happy smile, we’ve certainly made her seem happier with the whole thing.Â
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1st Viscount Nelson Horatio Nelson
Horatio Nelson was best known for his inspirational leadership, strategy and unconventional warfare tactics. He was also the subject of many portrait paintings.
Alas Lord Nelson only made it to the age of 47 and died at the hands of the enemy in the midst of battle while on the HMS Victory off the Cape Trafalgar in Spain. We enjoy imagining the British legend as a happy old man, retired and comfortable.Â
Sir Thomas More
The original painting of Sir Thomas More dates back to 1527 and shows a serious-looking man who was a lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and more.
He probably looks so stern because he was also the Chancellor to Henry VIII. But with a little AI power, we’ve made him far more cheerful.Â
Napoleon I on His Imperial Throne
This oil painting from 1806 shows Napoleon Bonaparte, then Napoleon I of France in his grand and regal coronation costume. It surely is one grand painting of the emperor and shows him holding the sceptre of Charlemagne and even wearing a golden laurel wreath like Caesar as he sits on the throne.
Our updated version shows a much more jolly and approachable emperor who hopefully doesn’t take himself so seriously.
Marie-Clotilde-Inès Moitessier
The same artist who painted Napoleon also painted this image of Marie-Clotilde-Inès Moitessier, a daughter of a civil servant who went on to marry a rich banker twice her age.
Which might go some way to explain why she’s so happy with herself in our tweaked version.Â
Lady Agnew of Lochnaw
American portrait artist John Singer Sargent lovingly crafted this image of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw in 1892.
She was already from a good and wealthy family but the success of the painting also endowed her with even more notability in society. With the help of FaceApp, we’ve imagined her as she might have been in the months that followed its finishing.Â
A happy couple
A fairly masterful self-portrait by Peter Paul Rubens shows him and his wife sitting near a tree. We’ve improved it by making them happy, as of course, they would be, thanks to their bountiful love for one another, we assume.Â
A cheerful magistrate
Giovanni Bellini’s painting of Doge Leonardo Loredan showed the chief magistrate and the leader of Venice in 1501.
Being a magistrate was obviously a serious business, but he’s certainly a lot more cheerful in his old age and sports an awesome beard too.
Max Liebermann
Max Liebermann was a man of many talents. He was a fabric maker, a banker, and even served as a medic during the Franco-Prussian War. Later he became an artist and completed several self-portraits.
This one seemingly shows a man who has seen some things in his time and is worn down by it, but add a few years, a nice beard and a smile and he’s much more cheerful.
George Washington
This is a life-sized portrait of George Washington known as the Lansdowne portrait. It showed Washington in his final year as President of the United States of America.
We’ve added a few years and a wide grin to Washington. A man who should be proud and happy with his achievements.Â
Vincent van Gogh’s self-portrait
As well as being an incredible artist, Vincent van Gogh was also a little enamoured with self-portraits.
In 1889 he painted one of his most famous works shortly after having his ear lopped off. He’s seen solemnly sitting with his ear bandaged. In our reimagined version, he’s happier, older and perhaps a little wiser.
George Washington
George Washington was, among other things, the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. We’ve seen how taxing the role can be for any person in the office (just look how grey it turned Obama).
Here we’ve imagined a much happier President, likely after retiring and finding happiness and peace.Â
Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is already fairly well known for her smile but here we’ve made it a bit more enthusiastic and pushed her into her old age as well. She still looks great for it too.Â
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mozart sadly died at the age of 35, so he barely lived really yet clearly made a name for himself during those years and the centuries that have followed.Â
Here we’ve used FaceApp to show a much older man with a cheerful grin and the contentment of a happy life. We like to imagine he’s now aware of how much his work will mean to so many, even after his passing.Â
Ludwig van Beethoven
This portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, sees one of the most admired composers of modern history looking a tad grumpy. But with FaceApp we’ve made him into a cheeky chappy.Â
William Shakespeare
The original portrait of William Shakespeare was painted sometime back in the early 1600s and showed the great English playwright looking fairly sobre. Shakespeare lived to 52 years of age, but with FaceApp we’ve made him live much longer, complete with glasses and a greying beard.Â
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton was a man of many talents, He was a mathematician, a physicist, an astronomer, an alchemist, a theologian and an author too.Â
Seems only fair then that he gets a massive proud smile for a life well-lived. Newton actually lived quite a long time for the period as well, passing away in 1727 at the rip old age of 84.Â
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Writing by Adrian Willings.
