What did Julius Caesar really look like?
What did Julius Caesar really look like? It’s a fascinating question that is still hotly debated. Luckily for us, Roman artistic tradition at this time was unique, focusing on realism rather than idealism, and creating portraits that showed character rather than just physical beauty. In fact, Romans considered it a sign of character to show physical these imperfections in portraits.
What did Queen Charlotte really look like? Was she Black?
Queen Charlotte: A young girl plucked from an obscure German province, and whisked away to become the Queen Consort of Great Britain. She’s recently been popularized through Briderton’s Queen Charlotte spinoff, and today, we’ll talk about what Charlotte really looked like, including the claims that she was a woman of color, and then reveal some recreations of her appearance.
What Old Portraits are Hiding: The Original Photo Filters
Today, we’re exploring a question that has followed me ever since I started doing facial reconstructions of past figures: What are old portraits hiding? Why do so many faces from the past look alike? Why do these French portraits all have huge eyes and soft chins? Why do Tudor-era portraits have all have pinched lips and high foreheads? And the most important question to me: Do these portraits look like the real person they were meant to depict? These old portraits are most definitely glossing over the truth - so let’s get the bottom of what they are hiding.
What did Pocahontas really look like?
Pocahontas is one of those historical enigmas with a huge reputation, but a ton of question marks about her real life and appearance. Of course we all know her from the 1995 Disney Film, but it’s not shocking to hear that what’s shown in the movie is barely a shadow of the real Pocahontas.
What did Katherine Parr really look like? The Face of Henry VIII’s Last Queen.
Katherine Parr is often hailed as the wife of King Henry VIII who “survived” - the nursemaid, or the “old one”.
But the reality was different than that. Katherine was a champion for religious reform, a fierce supporter of her stepchildren, and a celebrated author. Her reign as queen and life after Henry is much more interesting than you might think - including a dangerous brush with death. Watch our full video for Katherine’s history, as well as bonus re-creations at the end.
What did Mary I (“Bloody Mary”) really look like?
Mary I is a somewhat forgotten figure in Tudor history - her five year reign squeezed between those of her half siblings, Edward VI and Elizabeth I. Her religious zeal has earned her the moniker, “bloody Mary”. But was Mary really the bloody despot that history remembers?
What did Mary I really look like? Are her portraits an accurate representation of the Queen? We’ll examine her portraiture and reveal facial reconstructions down below.
The Monarchs: Elizabeth Woodville, the Dragon-Eyed Queen
Whilst some people wrote legends about her beauty and called her the most enchanting woman in the British Isles, others accused her of witchcraft and considered her a sorceress. Known for her far from noble origins, Elizabeth Woodville was able to charm the future Edward IV and become Queen of England.
The Real Face of King Henry VIII: What did he really look like?
King Henry VIII is an infamous figure in English history, famous for his six wives and the extreme lengths he went to in order to divorce the first - changing religion in England forever.
His reputation looms large in history - and so do his portraits. Today, we’ll dive into Henry’s appearance and reveal some lifelike re-creations, so let’s go!
Do we have a true portrait of Catherine of Aragon? What did she really look like?
Catherine of Aragon is an iconic figure in English history. Catherine was the daughter of Spain’s famous Catholic Monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, and the wife of two princes of England, including the infamous King Henry VIII.
But what did Catherine really look like? Movies and TV shows rarely portray Catherine correctly, plus, the most famous portrait of Catherine may not even be her. So, let’s dive into the research and reveal some re-creations of her appearance.
The Face of King Edward VI
Henry VIII and Jane Seymour’s son, Edward, became the King of England at just 9 years old. Despite being quite young when he died, we have a lot of portraits of the young Edward.