Thread by @dvoshart

What did I do during quarantine? 54 Machine-learning assisted portraits of the Roman Empire.

For this project, I transformed or restored (cracks, noses, ears etc.) over 800 images.
medium.com/@voshart/photo…

Using the neural-net tool Artbreeder, Photoshop and historical references, I have created photo-real portraits.

54 Emperors spanning The Principate (27 BC to 285 AD).

Each Emperor was (hopefully) meticulously documented.

Whenever possible, eyes, hair etc. was matched to historical texts. Here is what I have for just Augustus. 🔗medium.com/@voshart/appea…

↖️The Prima Porta
↗️Pergamum Museum
↙️Labicana
↙️British Museum

I'm releasing the images Creative Commons (BY-NC-SA) at 200 pixels.

🔗creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc…

You can support this project by buying a limited edition print. 🖼️

🔗etsy.com/ca/shop/Voshart

I think my print has educational value. Coins and unpainted marble has whitewashed history.

Septimius Severus was Black.
Born: Libya
Reign: 193–211 (💀 aged 65)

↖️ Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen;
↗️ &↙️ Capitoline Museum;
↘️ The Severan Tondo;
Also: Munich Glyptotek

Caracalla is often mistakenly depicted as white. His face is erased from an family portrait but the details on his neck show a similar paint scheme to his father (vs lighter skin of mother and brother)

↖️ Vatican Museum
↗️Met, NYC
↙️The Severan Tondo
↘️Naples Natl Arch Museum