Historical hipsters: Shakespeare and Elizabeth I get makeovers from modern artists

Shakespeare is an east London hipster; Horatio Nelson a chubby, desk-bound admiral with a prosthetic arm and Henry VIII is now a Cuban-heeled lothario: several of the world’s most historic figures have been given a 21st century make-over via a new art project.

Working alongside author and historian Dr Suzannah Lipscomb, a team of digital artists spent three months updating a series of classic portraits. The results give an insight into what some of the most famous characters of centuries-past may have looked like if they were alive today.

The work was commissioned to coincide with the new ‘Secret Life Of’ television series, which begins tonight on the Yesterday channel, and which delves into the lives of key historical figures.

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