An Artist’s Intriguing Photo Parodies of Classic Paintings

Maisie Broadhead might have graduated from the Royal College of Art with a masters in jewelry back in 2009, but today the London-born artist spends her time producing incredibly detailed photographic parodies of classic paintings by old Masters like Vermeer and Velasquez. For her recent Taking the Chair series, a collaboration with her mother Caroline, Broadhead reinterprets seven fine art masterpieces — each, a work that prominently features a chair. Elements from the original paintings are replaced with objects of personal significance; family members stand-in as models. The painterly quality of the resulting images comes courtesy of Photoshop. Click through to check out the series, as well as a fascinating timelapse video of Maisie in action, recreating a 19th century shot by Scottish photography duo Hill & Adamson as part of an upcoming exhibition at the National Gallery.

Maisie Broadhead, Head to Head, 2011. Digital C-Type print. 69.9 x 90.8 cm