See Super Bowl Heroes Depicted in Classical Paintings

Tom Brady as Prometheus by Gustave Moreau

Regardless of your feelings about the New England Patriots victory over the Seattle Seahawks last night, you’ll appreciate these classic paintings now featuring star players from both teams. Sure, using historical art to riff on modern celebrity culture isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, but somehow it never really gets old (see Artist Turns Celebrity Fad Diets Into Old Master-Style Still Lifes).

Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski are respectively depicted as Prometheus (1868) by Gustave Moreau and Abduction of Ganymede by Jupiter (ca. 1644) by Eustache Le Sueur.

Russell Wilson as Portrait of an Ideal Spanish King by Alonzo Cano

Russell Wilson in Ideal portrait of a Spanish King (ca. 1643) by Alonso Cano

Meanwhile, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is shown as a king in Ideal portrait of a Spanish King (ca. 1643) by Alonso Cano. Cornerback Richard Sherman and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse are memorialized in The Return of Neptune (ca. 1754) by John Singleton Copley and The Angel of the Lord Announcing the Resurrection to the Marys at the Sepulcher (1805) by Benjamin West. The full set is on view at Complex.

Rob Gronkowski as Abduction of Ganymede by Eustache le Sueur

Rob Gronkowski in Abduction of Ganymede by Eustache le Sueur

The images come from Nobilified, a start-up that enables customers to pick a painting, take a selfie, and actually get themselves painted into that artwork, all for around $140. The tagline on Nobilified’s website reads “Welcoming the Masses to the 1%.”

Chief executive Chris Jensen revealed to Extra Mustard that the paintings of the Patriots invoke Greek myths in which Zeus sends down a bird (representing the Seahawks) to dole out punishment. Guess we know which team he was rooting for.

It’s been an unusually arty Super Bowl this year, with the Seattle Art Museum and New England’s Clark Institute of Art getting in on the fun by betting on some major masterpieces (see Museums Bet Major Paintings on Super Bowl Win). Looks like Albert Bierstadt‘s Puget Sound on the Pacific Coast is going to New England.


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