Superheroes Are Bouguereau’s Best Friends


Detail of My Super-friends! by Neymar on Worth1000. Click for full image (1024×1760)

“Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s… …a Bouguereau?”

In February 2012, photoshop site Worth1000 organized the fifth edition of their popular Superhero ModRen contest, challenging digital artists to “take any piece of fine art and incorporate a superhero (or supervillain)”.
The contest drew 30 entries, three of which were Remastered Bouguereaus. The one shown above, created by Neymar, finished in 9th place. It’s based on a relatively rarely “chopped” Bouguereau painting, entitled Petite fille tenant des pommes dans les mains (Little Girl Clutching Apples, 1895).

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find one more contemporary variation on the original painting. Click the second to view My Super-friends! on Worth1000.

The other two Remastered Bouguereaus in this contest are shown below. The first one was the highest scoring of them, finishing 8th, the second entry scored 17th. Click to view them in context.

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Posted on February 8, 2012

How To Spot A Counterfeit Bouguereau


Detail of bronze winner Too fake by KingDiamond on Worth1000. Click for full image (800×1245)

With irregular intervals photoshop site Worth1000 organizes their Counterfeit Art contest, challenging digital artists to “take any famous painting or artwork and alter it in such a way that it is obviously a forgery.” The 13th edition, in February 2012, drew 33 entries, two of which were Remastered Bouguereaus. The one shown above was the third prize winner, created by KingDiamond. His work was inspired by Bouguereau’s 1885 painting Femme au Coquillage (Woman with Seashell).

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first image to visit the gallery where you will find over twenty remastered versions of Bouguereau’s original painting. Click the second to view Too fake on Worth1000.

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The second Remastered Bouguereau in this contest was Bouguereau Pedi by preemiememe, finishing in 16th place. The original and counterfeit versions are shown below.

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Posted on February 4, 2012

A Crystal Clear Remastered Bouguereau


Master engraver Tomáš Lesser at work. Click for original photo

Not all Remastered Bouguereaus are digital creations. Case in point is this vase made by master engraver Tomáš Lesser from the Czech Republic. Using Bouguereau’s 1893 painting Jeunesse (Youth) for inspiration, Lesser hand-engraved the young woman and two angels on a mouth blown vase from unleaded ecological crystal glass. Only ten copies were made, and are all signed by the engraver.

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find several more contemporary versions of Bouguereau’s painting. Click the second and third to view the hand-engraved vase on the product page of Studio Moser.

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Posted on February 1, 2012

Bouguereau Turns Into A Celebrity Painter


Rose McGowen by pcysmith. Click for full image (1024×759). Click here to visit the gallery on this site.

Twice a year, photoshop site Worth1000 organizes a Modern Renaissance contest, challenging digital artists to “put any modern celebrity, actor or popular culture figure as a substitute for the model of a painting or other form of artwork”. The January 2012 edition drew no less than seventy contest entries, five of which were Remastered Bouguereaus. Unfortunately, none of them became prize winners.

Shown above is Rose McGowen by pcysmith. The American actress and singer takes the place of the bather in Bouguereau’s La Vague (The Wave, 1896). Below are the four other adaptations of Bouguereau paintings in this contest. The first two depict actress Natalie Portman, the other two Scarlett Johansson and Bones actress Emily Deschanel, respectively. Click each to visit the galleries where you will find dozens more contemporary versions of the original artworks.

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Posted on January 25, 2012

Bouguereau’s Biblis Turns Blonde


Detail of Biblis by Mithos-2000 on DeviantArt. Click for full image (3839×2357)

In 1884, William Bouguereau painted his dramatic work Biblis, featuring the mythological figure who was deeply in love with her twin brother Caunus, but could not make him love her. When she found out that Caunus had fled, she tore her clothes in sorrow and was driven into madness. She followed him through much of Greece and Asia Minor until she finally died, worn out by her grief and the long journey. As she had been constantly crying, she was changed into a spring.

Spanish digital artist Mithos-2000 (real name Francisco) recreated Bouguereau’s painting using authentic photographic images, and published it on DeviantArt. In this beautifully remastered version, Biblis has become a gorgeous blonde lady.

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find nearly thirty contemporary versions of Bouguereau’s original. Click the second to view the remastered version on DeviantArt.

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Posted on January 21, 2012

Bouguereau’s Virgin With Angels Remastered By Antonio Oliva


The canticle of angels, by Antonio Oliva. Click for source.

Antonio Oliva was born in Rende (CS) Italy on 22 July 1969 and developed his art outside of academic circles. This remastered version of Bouguereau’s La Vierge aux Anges (The Virgin with Angels, 1881) was made with mixed techniques on canvas. Click the image to view the work on ioarte.org. Click below to visit the gallery where you can admire sixteen more contemporary variations of Bouguereau’s original painting.

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Posted on January 12, 2012

Bouguereau’s Famous First Kiss Gets A Manga Makeover


Detail of Chibi Ichiruki kiss by peca06 on DeviantArt. Click for full image (4804×5346)

Ichiruki is a word formed from the first four letters of the names of the characters of Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki from the manga Bleach. It is one of the more popular romantic pairings of this anime. Spanish illustrator/graphic design artist peca06 always wanted to make a rendition of Bouguereau’s famous painting Cupid and Psyche as Children, also known as The First Kiss, for Ichiruki. The adorable result is shown here.

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find dozens more contemporary variations on Bouguereau’s painting. Click the second to view Chibi Ichiruki kiss on DeviantArt.

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Posted on January 5, 2012

If Bouguereau Had Been A Photographer…


Bouguereau’s Tête de jeune fille re-enacted by Crystal Cowling. Click for source

American Art student Crystal Cowling, currently working as stage manager, has sincere aspirations in working in the entertainment industry including theater, film, television, and whatever else may come her way. As part of her presentation on Google+ she has a photo gallery in which she re-enacts famous classical paintings, including the one shown above. This double-portrait features Bouguereau’s Tête de jeune fille (Head of a young girl, 1898) next to a portrait created by photographer and Photoshop artist Nadya Obregon.

Click the image above to view Crystal’s photo set, click here to view the gallery where you will find nearly twenty contemporary versions of Bouguereau’s original painting.

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Posted on December 31, 2011

Happy Holidays From William Bouguereau! (Part 4)


Detail of Holiday Venus by saufnase on Worth1000. Click for full image (742×860)

There are many remastered versions of Bouguereau’s quintessential 1879 painting Naissance de Venus (Birth of Venus). The one shown here depicts the goddess of love as Mother Christmas. It was created by digital artist saufnase for a Holiday Mod Ren contest on Worth1000 in 2005, where it was voted the best of 55 entries.

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find nearly one hundred (!) contemporary variations. Click the second to view Holiday Venus on Worth1000.

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Posted on December 23, 2011

Happy Holidays From William Bouguereau! (Part 3)


Detail of Santa by DerAlt on Worth1000. Click for full image (576×774)

In December 2004, photoshop site Worth1000 organized their second Holiday Mod Ren contest, subtitled Santa meets Bouguereau. Digital artists DerAlt took the title very literally and created this image, entitled Santa, based on Bouguereau’s 1873 painting Nymphes et Satyre (Nymphs and Satyr), scooping the first prize.

Below you can compare the two versions. Click the first to visit the gallery where you will find no less than forty contemporary variations. Click the second to view Santa on Worth1000.

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Posted on December 19, 2011