What 17 Historical Figures Who We Know Only by Paintings or Movies Looked Like
When we think of historical figures, our minds often jump to highly polished portraits hanging in grand museums or the dramatic representations we see in films—complete with flawless makeup, theatrical lighting, and costumes that sometimes value aesthetics over historical accuracy. These portrayals, while visually striking, often idealize or stylize the real people they depict.
But history, as always, is far more fascinating—and complex—than fiction. Beneath the layers of paint and performance lies a more authentic reality: what these people actually looked like in their time, free from artistic or cinematic embellishment.
In an effort to uncover these more accurate depictions, artificial intelligence has been used to generate images based on detailed…
