Artist Transforms Victorian Portraits Into Modern Pop Culture Trading Cards

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

“The Truce”
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Artist Alex Gross transforms 19th-century portraits into amusing mashups with iconic figures of popular culture. Using the sepia-toned photographs as his initial inspiration, Gross paints on cabinet cards (these were a style of portraits mounted on a 4.25-inch by 6.5-inch sheet that had widespread appeal after 1870). When he’s done, the anonymous men and women from yesteryear are retro versions of superheroes, villains, and famous figures from pop culture.

Gross is enamored with the past. “I absolutely love old photos and vintage pictures,” he says. “The Victorian era is the time when I would have liked to live.” His new characters take on a similarly vintage feel. Batman and Robin, for instance, don’t wear the shiny costumes we’re used to seeing in the movies. Instead, they don masks and a cape that you’d find in the live action version from the 1950s.

Painting more than just what they wear, Gross will also imagine the pop culture figures in fully-realized environments. Many of them correspond to the character, but sometimes, Gross will paint them into beachy vacation scenes—as in the case of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. In Gross’ painting, the two now get along.

Gross has several books featuring his paintings, and one of them contains a generous collection of his cabinet card artwork. Called Now and Then: The Cabinet Card Paintings of Alex Gross, it has 98 mixed media paintings featuring his work layered atop vintage photographs from around the U.S.

Artist Alex Gross transforms retro cards from the Victorian era into contemporary pop culture trading cards.

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

“Skywalker Family Vacation”

Retro Cards Painted by Alex Gross

Batman

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Batman, Batgirl, & Robin

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad)

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

The Dark Knight Joker

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Girls

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Batman Villains

Retro Cards Painted by Alex Gross

Han Solo

Retro Cards Painted by Alex Gross

Arya (from Game of Thrones)

Retro Cards Painted by Alex Gross

Black Panther

Retro Cards Painted by Alex Gross

Batgirl, Harley, & Ivy

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Batwoman

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Poe Dameron

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Darth and Family

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Wolverine

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Justice League

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

C3PO

Funny Retro Cards by Alex Gross

Batman Family

Alex Gross: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Alex Gross.

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Victorian-Era Color Theory Manual Reissued for the First Time in 115 Years

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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