Home / Art

Amusing Mashup Pairs a Classic Painting with Animated GIFs

Nearly 53 years ago, the famed illustrator Norman Rockwell painted The Connoisseur for The Saturday Evening Post magazine. It shows a man standing in front of a Jackson Pollock-esque style painting at a museum or gallery. Today, that same character, in his matching suit, is back to see a more modern form of art known as the animated GIF. He can be found on the Tumblr aptly titled The Gif Connoisseur.

Just like its predecessor, the man stands with his back to us, but this time watches explosions, optical illusions, abstract textures, and much more. It's an amusing idea that produces entertaining cultural mashups by pairing a traditional painting style with a contemporary digital art form. And, you can see even more of these creations on the Tumblr page.

The Original Norman Rockwell Painting, The Connoisseur

The Gif Connoisseur Tumblr
via [Visual News]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.
Become a Member
Explore member benefits