A ‘visual excavation’ of Western history by British photographer Drew Gardner wherein descendants of historically significant people pose, recreating famous portraits of their ancestor.
But there’s more going here than mock-ups. The photograph of Shannon LaNier (top pic) is especially significant.
He’s the sixth-great grandson of Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, who the third U.S. president enslaved and forced to bear his children, a story that’s long been left out of historical narratives.
(From top: Shannon LaNier, Jefferson’s sixth-great grandson; Hugo de Salis, fourth-great grandson of Napoleon. Napoleon in his study, by Jacques-Louis David, 1812; Helen Pankhurst, great granddaughter of women’s rights activist Emeline Pankhurst; Tom Wonter, Wordsworth’s fourth-great grandson. William Wordsworth, portrait by William Shuter, 1798; Gerald Charles Dickens, Dickens’ great, great grandson. Charles Dickens, portrait by Herbert Watkins, 1858; Isambard Thomas, Brunel’s third-great grandson. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, portrait by Robert Howlett, 1857; Irina Guicciardini Strozzi, the 15th great granddaughter of Lisa del Giocondo. The Mona Lisa by Leonardo DaVinci.)
‘Photographer of Shannon….’.
Should that not read photograph?
It’s very cool, either way.
Oops. Thanks Lush.
This is cool, but reminded me that I just read of the death of the grandson of Elvis Presely at some ridiculously young age, which seems sad.
Cool idea for a project. Imagine being related to Napoleon though? He was fearless, crazy and intriguing as hell, one of the most fascinating leaders in history. I wish Stanley Kubrick got to make his Napoleon movie in the 70’s. It would have been epic!