WTF Art History

How Would Superheroes Have Looked Like in the 17th Century?

Zuzanna Stańska 28 April 2022 min Read

The 17th century was a beautiful time full of people wearing ruffs. Huge, remarkable ruffs. Those ruffs stayed in my memory, like in Peter Paul Rubens’ portraits. They also stayed in the memory of the French photographer Sacha Goldberger who was inspired by the paintings hanging in his family house. He has created a quirky photo series that perfectly expresses the timeless quality of some of our favorite superheroes and villains by re-imagining them as 17th-century Flemish portrait models.

Michael Conrad Hirt, The wife of the burgomaster of Lübeck, 1642
Michael Conrad Hirt, The wife of the burgomaster of Lübeck, 1642, St. Anne’s Museum, Lübeck, Germany.

Goldberger was staging the series of superheroes of the 17th century for five years. Yes, those photos are not Photoshop! (except Yoda of course) Super Flemish photo series shows real superhero costumes, which manage to stay faithful both to the hero and to the historical period. The heroic look-alike models wearing them are also real people. Enjoy the portraits!

16th-century-super-heroes-2
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a cylindrical object in metal. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-4
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a man in green with big muscles. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-5
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a diabolic man with horns. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-6
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a man with an S on his torso. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-7
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a man in a mask with pointy ears. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-9
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a very hairy man. Artist’s website.

16th-century-super-heroes-10
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a man who wears a helmet. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-11
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a man in a black helmet. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-12
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a woman in red and blue with a diadem and a lasso. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-13
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a masked man. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-14
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a princess. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-15
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a masked man. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-16
Sacha Goldberger, A grimacing smile. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-17
Sacha Goldberger, Knight with a helmet in the colors of the United States of America. Artist’s website.

superheroes 17th century 16th-century-super-heroes-18
Sacha Goldberger, Portrait of a woman and her animal. Artist’s website.

Recommended

WTF Art History

The Dark Age of Rome – The Cadaver Synod

In a career that spanned over two decades, Jean-Paul Laurens painted some of French art’s most plaintive historical moments: two young princes...

Guest Profile 27 July 2023

WTF Art History

Italian Artists with Food in Their Names

Italy is famous for its great food and great art, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s some overlap. No, I’m not talking...

Alexandra Kiely 13 May 2023

worst artworks: Edvard Munch, Angry Dog, 1938-1943, The Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway. WTF Art History

Top Ten Worst Works by Famous Artists

Ever dreamed of becoming an artist, but worried you just don’t have the talent? Take a look at some of the weirdest, ugliest works from art history, and feel reassured. This is the art equivalent of a bad hair day. Here at DailyArt we applaud any art if it makes you happy! But trained, experienced artists who get it horribly WRONG? Yeah, we do have a laugh at them. Take a peek, and have a giggle.

Candy Bedworth 7 May 2023

Giorgio Vasari, St Luke Painting the Virgin WTF Art History

Best Gossips on Renaissance Artists by Giorgio Vasari

Known as the first art historian, Giorgio Vasari wrote the legendary book The Lives of the Artists. The book was published in 1550 and followed...

Anna Ingram 8 September 2022