Ruff love

January 10, 2025 12:48 AM

Tired of seeing paintings of countless puffed-up toffs rendered in oils for posterity, German visual artist Volker Hermes breathes life into the boring old routine with his updates on Old Masters paintings. His Hidden Portraits use digital technology and collage to refocus our gaze on symbols of self-representation and social status embedded in such paintings.
posted by chavenet (9 comments total)

Love Volker’s work so much!
posted by ellieBOA at 4:29 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

I did not enjoy these works. Perhaps I have misunderstood the intention, but it seems to me that the original artists already did an excellent job of depicting "symbols of self-representation and social status" (this is the point of such portraits), and did not need Volker Hermes to explain that the subject's ruff is, in fact, rather large.
posted by cyanistes at 6:51 AM on January 10 [6 favorites]

I think they're funny. I think that's really all they're meant to be.
posted by Omnomnom at 7:01 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]

I found the first couple funny, and then after that felt like someone was telling me the same joke over and over.
posted by Well I never at 7:28 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]

lol so silly, much approve. I do appreciate cyanistes point, and this particular silliness may not be for everyone.
posted by Glinn at 7:29 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

Have you seen Nina Katchadourian's "Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style"?

While in the lavatory on a domestic flight in January 2011, I spontaneously put a tissue paper toilet cover seat cover over my head and took a picture in the mirror using my cellphone. The image evoked 15th-century Flemish portraiture. I decided to add more images made in this mode and planned to take advantage of a long-haul flight from San Francisco to Auckland, guessing that there were likely to be long periods of time when no one was using the lavatory on the 14-hour flight

posted by autopilot at 7:58 AM on January 10 [15 favorites]

You aren't a true macaroni if you can reach your own hat.
posted by in_lieu_of_fiction at 8:46 AM on January 10 [3 favorites]

Have you seen Nina Katchadourian's "Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style"?

I had not, but have now; just the perfect thing. Thank you!
posted by chavenet at 10:09 AM on January 10 [1 favorite]

My brain only detected “ countless puffed-up toffs rendered in oils” as I scrolled down the front page, thought this post was about something else entirely for a split second….
posted by omegajuice at 10:34 PM on January 10 [1 favorite]