How One Clever Chap Gave Grim-faced Museum Sculptures A Hilarious Makeover With A Little Tech Magic

The comical dose of classical art you didn’t know you needed.

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• April 9, 2024

Let’s be honest, Mona Lisa's enigmatic smirk is as close as we get to a full-blown grin when it comes to classical art. It makes one wonder, was there a death penalty meted out to any of our ancestors who dared flash their pearly whites in portraits? We may truly never know.

All we know is that their expressions, frozen in time, often bear the weight of the world—or at least the weight of sitting for hours on end while an artist captures their likeness. But what if these stately gentlemen and gentlewomen could crack a smile, just for a moment? Well, that’s where Olly Gibbs comes in. 

Our hero, armed not with a paintbrush but with the digital wizardry of FaceApp, took on the daunting task of sprinkling a little joy onto the canvas of history. With only a few taps on his phone, this modern-day Picasso transformed the museum's solemn sculptures and paintings into a gallery of giggles.

The results? Well, they're a mixed bag of hilarity and slight horror. Imagine, if you will, a stern Renaissance portrait breaking into a wide grin, like someone who's just heard a fantastic joke. Or even better, a grim-faced Roman emperor chuckling at an unseen spectacle and simultaneously making you feel like you’re the butt of the joke. Amazing or terrifying? You decide.

But here's where the magic happens. Each altered artwork, now sporting a grin, suddenly feels less like a relic and more like a friend. 

Now, enough with all the descriptions; some things are better gazed upon than imagined. So, we present to you history’s finest pieces like you’ve never seen them before—sporting million-dollar grins.

1. Behold, the rebirth of Renaissance joy! Who wouldn’t prefer their marble legacy to include a dazzling smile?

2. If 'cheerful' had a face in the 17th century, it would look like this. Sign here to make this jolly good fellow the poster boy of the past.

3. If we overlook the whole 'mad dictator plotting world domination' vibe, his smile is actually not that creepy. Evil grins are a type of smile, too, you know.

4. Did not quite reach the eyes, but we’ll take it! Better than looking like a grief-stricken viscount who just received the tragic news of his firstborn son’s passing, no?

5. They say there's no accessory more beautiful than a genuine smile, and this proves it.

6. The transformation from 'Mondays, am I right?' to 'Fridays, we made it!'

7. When you nail the joke timing at the high court and even the stoic judge chuckles.

8. This is the 'before and after' your history teacher didn't tell you about. Petition to make this the original portrait?

9. From stoic to stoked

10. I’m sure we can all agree that he’d have preferred it this way. His ghost is definitely sporting a matching grin of approval!

11. Behold, the nobleman who just declared every day a weekend.

12. A dashing gentleman who finally looks like he's enjoying his own banquet.

So next time you find yourself wandering through a gallery of ancient faces, maybe imagine what they'd look like with a grin—you might just break out into one of your own on the spot. 

What are you waiting for? Share these cheerful transformations with anyone who believes that art and laughter go hand in hand.

Don’t forget to let us know which grin-bearing historical figure is your favorite in the comments!

Jesse