Justin Bieber Perfume: Provocative Female Images Layered on Famous Portraits of Men

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Provocative Female Images Layered on Famous Portraits of Men - Deborah Oropallo's Magnificent 'Guise'

These fantastic art collection called Guise are photo-based prints by Deborah Oropallo. She works by layering the portraits of 17th and 18th century men with sensual and provocative female images in various poses and highly erotic guises.

"The images in her current body of work were initially borrowed from internet sites for sexy costume. Women in revealing pirate, soldier, and other outfits are posed in photographs that recall, in Oropallo's words, "the formal portraiture male power stance with elaborate costume." The artist deconstructs and enhances the images to investigate the seduction and power that are evoked by gesture and pose.

In GUISE, Oropallo further explores the concept by layering the images of men from 17th and 18th century portrait paintings. Painted portraits did not simply document the likeness of the sitter but were often contrived to convey a sense of his importance and authority. Nobility and dignity were attributes portrayed through stance, gesture, and attire, and portraits often involved costume and props. Soldiers wore elaborate uniforms and weaponry to show their bravery and stature; noblemen donned luxurious articles of clothing; and scholars and politicians stood with books at hand attesting to their knowledge" says lensculture.

I tried to post the paintings the layered prints were based upon but I was only successful in identifying a handful of paintings. If you recognize the work of art behind a layered print not yet identified, please leave the info in the comment section. I will be forever indebted to you.