We aged art’s great portraits with FaceApp – and the result is genuinely disturbing

18 July 2019, 16:11

FaceApp ageing filter on famous art
FaceApp ageing filter on famous art. Picture: FaceApp

By Rosie Pentreath and Kyle Macdonald

We took FaceApp’s ageing filter and piled the years on some of the most famous paintings in art history. Just – because.

FaceApp is, frankly. irresistible. The Internet thinks so – just open any social media site right now, and you’ll see what we mean.

Even the great composers joined in (okay, they didn’t have much say in the matter but we had to give the people what they want. You’re welcome.).

  1. Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’

    'Girl with a Pearl Earring' through FaceApp
    'Girl with a Pearl Earring' through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    Aw, we knew Scarlett Johansson would age well! Wait, that’s not right...

  2. Gainsborough’s ‘The Blue Boy’

    'The Blue Boy' through FaceApp
    'The Blue Boy' through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    More like The Nearly-Blue Boy...

  3. Kahlo’s Self Portrait

    Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait through FaceApp
    Frida Kahlo’s Self Portrait through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    Monkeys are timeless! Fridas, not so much...

  4. Klimt’s ‘Judith I’

    ‘Judith I’ through FaceApp
    ‘Judith I’ through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    Judith had a hard life after her hangs with Klimt...

  5. Da Vinci’s 'Mona Lisa’

    'Mona Lisa’ through FaceApp
    'Mona Lisa’ through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    The very *mortal* Lisa.

  6. David’s ‘The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries’

    ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’ through FaceApp
    ‘Napoleon Bonaparte’ through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    Napoleold Bonaparte.

  7. Da Vinci’s ‘Lady with an Ermine’

    ‘Lady with an Ermine’ through FaceApp
    ‘Lady with an Ermine’ through FaceApp. Picture: Getty

    We mean, it’s a long time to hold a pose. Especially with a cute critter in arm. She looks happy though.