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Artist Transforms Victorian Portraits into Superheroes

Alex Gross has long been an important part of the contemporary art scene in the United States, and while his work is often exhibited in galleries across the country, Gross remains ever-popular for his illustrations across the web.

Among one of his most-captivating art projects is a selection of Victorian cabinet card paintings re-imagined as pop-culture superhero icons.

Cabinet cards became increasingly popular during the 1860s, replacing the former carte de visite as the prime form of portraiture, with the main advantage of this style being a larger in size than its predecessor. However, by the mid-1920s, cabinet cards too were abandoned as new photography technology developed.

Batman. Photo by Alex Gross
Batman. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Amidala (Idolene Hackney). Photo by Alex Gross
Amidala (Idolene Hackney). Photo by Alex Gross

 

Arya, Game of Thrones. Photo by Alex Gross
Arya, Game of Thrones. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Batman & Catwoman. Photo by Alex Gross
Batman & Catwoman. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Batman and Robin. Photo by Alex Gross
Batman and Robin. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Batwoman. Photo by Alex Gross
Batwoman. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Black Panther. Photo by Alex Gross
Black Panther. Photo by Alex Gross

 

C3PO. Photo by Alex Gross
C3PO. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Captain Marvel. Photo by Alex Gross
Captain Marvel. Photo by Alex Gross

Cabinet cards were first popularized in the United States by Civil War-era photographer Mathew Brady, who marketed it to his clients under the name “Imperial Carte-de-Visite”, exploiting the established image format and spreading cabinet cards all over the war-torn country.

The format itself is an important part of the history of photography and as such has earned a place in the shrine of Gross’ trademark superheroes in every-day situations.

In an interview for Vivianite – The Painters Blog, Gross expressed personal admiration for the Victorian period and its imagery, which has a great deal of influence in his art.

In the same interview, the artist draws the connection between vintage family photos and his work. As history and genealogy play an important role for him, Gross likes to emphasize the personal connection between an artist and his art by using real-life photographs and re-imagining them through surreal and pop imagery.

Cat Woman (Julie Newmar). Photo by Alex Gross
Cat Woman (Julie Newmar). Photo by Alex Gross

 

Daredevil (Netflix). Photo by Alex Gross
Daredevil (Netflix). Photo by Alex Gross

 

Darth and Family. Photo by Alex Gross
Darth and Family. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Electro. Photo by Alex Gross
Electro. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Fifties Superman. Photo by Alex Gross
Fifties Superman. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Han Solo. Photo by Alex Gross
Han Solo. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Kid Flash. Photo by Alex Gross
Kid Flash. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Magneto (Film). Photo by Alex Gross
Magneto (Film). Photo by Alex Gross

 

Mr. Incredible. Photo by Alex Gross
Mr. Incredible. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Night King. Photo by Alex Gross
Night King. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Poe Dameron. Photo by Alex Gross
Poe Dameron. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Psylocke. Photo by Alex Gross
Psylocke. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Superboy and Robin. Photo by Alex Gross
Superboy and Robin. Photo by Alex Gross

 

Supergirl. Photo by Alex Gross
Supergirl. Photo by Alex Gross

 

The Dark Knight Joker. Photo by Alex Gross
The Dark Knight Joker. Photo by Alex Gross

 

The Dark Knight Batman. Photo by Alex Gross
The Dark Knight Batman. Photo by Alex Gross

These cabinet-cards reworked with pop-culture icons — featuring your cult favorites such as Star Wars, Batman, or the Marvel Universe characters — instead of distant relatives from the past are sure to strike a note.

Read another story from us: Man Finds Rare 100-Year-Old Negatives – Uses Photoshop to “Develop” Them

Gross seems to create an alternative reality for his subjects, giving them new life and placing them in unexpected roles. By fusing the old photographs of unknown people and globally recognized characters, the artist blurs the line between reality and fiction, giving birth to something new and unsettling.

Nikola Budanovic

Nikola Budanovic is a freelance journalist who has worked for various media outlets such as Vice, War History Online,The Vintage News, Taste of Cinema,etc. He mostly deals with subjects such as military history and history in general, literature and film.