Animals Illustrated As Historical Figures
Story by:
Brittany High
Artist Christina Hess brings us an illustrated series called Animals From History. It reimagines famous figures as animals, including cats and dogs dressed for some very important portraits. Pretty amazing. My cat already acts like royalty, so honestly, the wardrobe is the only thing missing.
Meet Elvis Petme and Cleocatra
The names are part of the fun. Characters include Elvis Petme, Cleocatra, and Joan of Bark, pairing familiar personalities with distinctly furry identities. As My Modern Met’s coverage explains, the illustrations also have fictional stories that blend historical events with Hess’s imagination.
Hess’s portfolio also includes Marie Antoinippe and Queen Elhissabeth. That’s an impressive amount of dignity for creatures whose real-life counterparts might interrupt a formal occasion to investigate a cardboard box. Still, I’d hang their portraits. Especially if it stopped them from judging the rest of my decorating.
More Than a Costume Change
The appeal goes beyond putting a hat on a cat. The portraits use elaborate clothing, settings, and character details to give each animal a role. You get the recognition of a familiar historical or cultural figure, followed by the pleasure of discovering what Hess has done with the animal version.
The project has also appeared in calendar form. A Pennsylvania College of Art & Design article documents earlier calendar editions, although current availability hasn’t been confirmed. Twelve months of unusually distinguished animals sounds pretty good to me. Finally, someone on the wall with less interest in my deadlines than I have.
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