You Wont Believe What These Historical Figures Actually Looked Like

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When we were in school (or sometimes even earlier), we become acquainted with historical figures like Queen Elizabeth I and George Washington. Usually, we saw a nice portrait of the person we’re learning about, but what we didn’t realize is that most of these images aren’t correct. What we mean is that many of these historical figures looked a lot different than that pretty painting. Shocker, we know.

Fun fact: artists used to get paid on commission. When they painted something, they’d get paid if the person liked the art. That meant the artist would paint their subject as beautiful as they could – maybe they’d even get a big tip. Because of this, people (especially royals) look a lot different than their supposed portraits.

We stumbled upon images of what historical figures actually looked like, and we had to share. Honestly, we never thought that some of these historical figures would look that much different from their art. 

Funny enough this isn’t an antiquated concept, surely you know of a handy little something called photoshop? Oh, yes, you do! Those Instagram filters and editing apps aren’t a new idea. Everyone, even in the 1100s, wants to be seen as beautiful! So, we can’t blame them for forcing their artists to paint them as kindly as possible. Here’s what 24 historic figures actually looked like.

Everyone knows George Washington and his accomplishments as the first president of the United States. Most of the images we see of him show him with a stern brow and a strong jawline, which is pretty typical for the time – just take a look at any picture of Benjamin Franklin.

George Washington

George Washington was America’s first president. He set the precedent for American leadership for generations to come. Of course, he and his cohorts at the time would want his likeness remembered as strong, stern and overall, not ugly! The facial features given to him for at the time of the painting’s rendering were seen as desirable and attractive.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Did you know...

  • While attending the Grammys in February 2000, Jennifer Lopez stepped out in a green Versace dress that instantly became a phenomenon. The barely-there ensemble had a dramatically low cut that came below JLo’s belly button. It became such a talking point that it was Google’s most popular search query up to that point, and it spurred the company to include images into search results. It became the motivation for Google Images.
  • Jackie Kennedy is famous for redecorating and renovating the interior of the White House. Actually, on just her first day, she ordered $50,000 in changes for new rooms for the children and upgrades to the kitchen. She later hosted a tour of the White House for CBS News which was viewed by 56 million people and won her an Emmy Award.
  • Jennifer Aniston's star-defining role on friends started a hair craze in the 90s that even lasted into the early 2000s. Called "The Rachel," Aniston's shoulder-length haircut had grown-out bangs and highlights styled to perfection. A hairdresser in Detroit noted that at the peak of its popularity, 40% of her business was devoted to recreating "The Rachel." Too bad that it was notoriously difficult to maintain on your own at home.
  • When Rihanna debuted her famous red locks in 2010 (around the same time she was featured on Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie"), she started a red-hair trend. Over the next twelve months, she changed her hairstyle 13 times—more than once a month! But that came at a pricey cost. Sources say the annual price tag came out to $1,168,000 on just her hair.
  • In February 2020, Jeff Bezos bought the most expensive property in California: a $165 million mansion. It was designed for Jack Warner (the former president of Warner Bros. entertainment company). It took a decade to construct (spanning the 1930s and 40s). It comes complete with 9 acres of Beverly Hills land, a main house, a guest house, a tennis court, a golf course, and terraces.