Photos Imagine What U.S. Presidents From History Might Look Like Today

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Ulysses S. Grant

While photos and videos of modern-day U.S. Presidents are constantly featured on our newsfeeds, Presidents of the past are remembered with just a few black and white photos or portrait paintings. Curious about how Presidents from history would look if they were alive today, Award-winning comic book writer Magdalene Visaggio created a manipulated photo series called Modern Presidents.

Visaggio used smartphone apps to create modern-day interpretations of each President. Her subjects include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Ulysses S. Grant, James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, Millard Fillmore, and James Buchanan. Each original photo or painting of the President is presented next to his modern, digitally rendered counterpart, revealing an eerie resemblance to the by-gone head of the United States.

Although the digital interpretations look like they could take many hours to render, Visaggio stressed that they were pretty easy to make. “A lot of people think I'm a digital artist or whatever, so let me clarify how I work,” she says. “Everything you see here is done in Faceapp+Airbrush on my phone. On the outside, each takes between 15-30 mins.” Visaggio adds, “Washington was a pretty simple one-and-done replacement.”

Check out the Modern Presidents series below.

Award-winning comic book writer Magdalena Visaggio created a manipulated photo series called Modern Presidents.

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Andrew Johnson

It reveals how American Presidents from history might look if they were alive today.

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Abraham Lincoln

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

James Buchanan

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Franklin Pierce

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Millard Fillmore

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Zachary Taylor

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

James K. Polk

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

John Tyler

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

William Henry Harrison

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Martin Van Buren

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Andrew Jackson

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

John Quincy Adams

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

James Monroe

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

James Madison

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

Thomas Jefferson

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

John Adams

Modern Presidents by Magdalene Visaggio

George Washington

Magdalene Visaggio: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Magdalene Visaggio.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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