With the Help of A.I., This Is What These Historical Figures Would Look Like Today

Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Felipepi (what a mouthful), also known as Sandro Botticelli (ah, that’s better), was a renowned artist in the Italian Renaissance. Botticelli apparently means “little barrel” and was a nickname given to him thanks to his older brother’s roundness.

The artist is best known for his works “Primavera” and “The Birth of Venus” — you know, the one where you see a scantily clad Venus standing on a seashell, coming out of the sea. If he was alive today, we wonder if his Venus would have been inspired by a famous actress. Scarlett Johansson, maybe?

“Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived,” sing the children of Britain to remember the famous fates of each of Henry the Eighth’s six wives. Seriously, the biggest thing this dude is famous for is the number of weddings he had.

Okay, yeah, he did a bunch of other things. But one of the main ones was creating his own church, just so he could divorce his first wife and marry his second. At the time, he was considered attractive and educated. Now? He mostly reminds us of Robert Baratheon, the useless king from Game of Thrones.

Joan D’Arc (or “of Arc”) was a French young woman who, after being granted what she described as holy visions, went off to fight for her country. She was considered a symbol of faith and piety during her time. Although, after a failed battle, she was placed on trial for wearing men’s clothes and was judged to death.

We have to admit, her modern recreation through AI doesn’t exactly scream chastity and purity. In fact, we’re getting some pretty sassy vibes from her. Which might totally have been there in the actual Joan — how do you explain her tenacity and unstoppable wish to fight for what’s right?

Looking at old portraits of this mathematician and scientist, we have to admit that we never considered him handsome (although his intellect was impressive and attractive to some). Seeing this modern recreation does change a few things, though.

Just look at his chiseled features, like his chin and even nose! He might have been a genius when it came to understanding physics and all that, but we’re shocked that he ever felt an apple fall through that terrible wig (yes, we know the apple falling on his head is just a legend).

Our first instinct, when imagining the man who wrote such beautiful stories like Romeo and Juliet, is to dream up a tragically romantic character. But, thanks to AI, we know that the Bard probably looked like a pretty average Joe.

Looks can be deceiving, however, because William Shakespeare was responsible for about 39 plays and over 150 sonnets — full to the brim with beautifully enchanting lines. Shall we compare thee to a summer’s day? Maybe a fall day works better for this talented guy.

The bust of Nefertiti (the statue of her head) has been one of the most copied works of art from Ancient Egypt, and it’s partly why this ancient queen became so famous. From what we know, Nefertiti lived between 1370-1330 BC and ruled Egypt alongside her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten.

She and her husband were considered two of Egypt’s best rulers, ushering in an age of incredible prosperity and wealth to the kingdom. Thanks to her bust, she was also regarded as incredibly beautiful — which, thanks to AI, we can easily agree with.

Living in the Dutch Republic in the 1600s, Rembrandt is considered one of the biggest Dutch masters of all time. During his artistic career, the artist created hundreds of paintings, etchings, and drawings.

His early fame came thanks to his unique talent for creating portraits. However, over his career, he also drew all sorts of scenes, from landscapes to allegorical paintings. His modern-day portrait definitely brings across the warmth in his artistic eye.

Caesar Augustus was Rome’s very first emperor and has been described as one of the greatest leaders in human history. Also known as Octavian, he ruled Rome from 27 BC to 14 AD, often relying on his military genius to strengthen the Roman Empire.

But, it wasn’t just his intellect that was sharp apparently — just look at those AI cheekbones and that imperial nose! If he was alive today, he might not capture rival nations, but he would likely capture hearts through the silver screen.

From the year 37 to 41, it was Caligula who ruled the Roman Empire. Of course, he was more formally known as Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, but being nicknamed “little boot” (aka Caligula) by his father’s soldiers stayed with him through his life.

For the first six months of his reign, he was considered noble and moderate. After that, however, he became a cruel leader — an insane tyrant, some might say. We can certainly imagine that from his image. We wonder if it had anything to do with being called a small shoe…

“Let them eat cake,” might be the quote most associated with Marie Antoinette, but we can assure you, she never said such a callous thing. She was, however, the last queen of France before the French Revolution and was married to King Louis XVI.

Despite what her most famous misquote might suggest, Marie was no airhead and often counseled her husband on matters regarding politics. There’s one thing we can definitely say about her AI look — she looks nothing like Kirsten Dunst.

The beautiful Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci can safely be regarded as probably the most famous painting on the planet, and for a good reason — it’s beautiful, highly detailed, and incredibly alluring. And did you know that it’s based on a real woman?

That’s right! The most famous portrait of all time is that of Lisa del Gicondo, an Italian noblewoman from Florence. The painting was apparently commissioned by her loving husband, Francesco di Bartolomeo. The AI rendition of Lisa is lovely, of course, although we’re not sure if it truly captures the painting’s allure.

Moving from Europe to the Middle East, let’s take a look at this impressive leader — Salah al-Din (better known as Saladin) was the first Sultan of both Egypt and Syria. He established the Ayyubid realm that spanned from Egypt and Syria, all the way to Yemen and Nubia.

He’s considered the most famous Jurdish figure in history, especially after defeating the Crusaders in the areas under his control in the 1100s. While his historic portrait certainly shows his age and fortitude, his AI rendition just looks like a seriously handsome guy to us. We think the tech might be a bit off on this one.

As you may know, the iconic Catherine the Great overthrew her own husband, Peter III, to ensure that she became the seat of power in Russia between 1762 to 1796. During her long rule, she brought a resurgence of culture and science to the northern country.

This was a woman who definitely knew how to surround herself with people who could help her, often relying on her noble friends and generals to govern effectively. If she were alive today, we have no doubt she would have become a key politician — maybe even a president or prime minister!

Who doesn’t love a bit of classical music? Without a doubt, one of the greatest composers of ethereal music has to be the German Johann Sebastian Bach. But, did you know he was orphaned at age 10 and lived with his brother?

It sounds like humble beginnings, but apparently, the whole Bach family was something of a composing sensation (although Johann did become the most famous of them all). In his modern AI shot, we can definitely see him composing unforgettable movie soundtracks.

Hearing the name Queen Elizabeth certainly invokes the recently departed queen of England. But long before her was Queen Elizabeth I, who was the daughter of Henry VIII — and his second wife, the equally famous, Anne Boleyn.

After quite a bit of drama surrounding who would ascend to the throne, Elizabeth finally rose to power in 1558, ruling the kingdom with the help of her trusted advisors. Under her rule, Britain flourished. Thanks to AI, we have no doubt that the kindness and wisdom in her eyes were part of what made her such a great queen.

This woman might be lesser known to American readers, but Christina of Denmark was a Danish princess. She was famously married twice, with both earning her the Duchess title of first Miolan, then Lorraine. She was also given as a possible match to Henry VIII after the death of his third wife.

Tragically, after the passing of her first husband, Christina fell in love with René of Orange. Despite him loving her back, though, they were both forced into political marriages. Now, that certainly explains the sadness in her eyes.

Mary Tudor (also known as Mary I or Bloody Mary by the people who really didn’t like her very much) was Queen of England, Ireland, and Spain from 1553, until her passing in 1558. She was Henry VIII’s only surviving child with his first wife.

However, her father attempted to write her out of the royal succession because they differed on matters of faith. Of course, that didn’t work out and she did end up ruling for a little while. Can you imagine that sweet AI rendition of her being nicknamed Bloody? Because we sure can’t.

Let’s take a look at another famous British queen, expressly brought back to life with the help of AI. So, what do you think of this rendition of the Queen of Scotland from 1542 to 1567 — does her AI version look like the historic portrait?

We honestly think it’s pretty close, between the super thin eyebrows and lips. Did you know Mary technically inherited the Scottish throne when she was just six days old due to her father’s passing? She only began truly ruling when she returned to Scotland from France in 1561.

Everyone welcome the one, the only Mary Shelley — the mother of Science Fiction! That’s right; this unassuming young woman was the founder of one of the most popular genres of our time, thanks to a little book she wrote when she was 19, Frankenstein.

The mischievous glint in her eyes seems to have been translated well into her AI modern-day portrait, and we can totally see her writing one of the most brilliantly frightening stories of all time.

While you might not recognize him from the photo, you probably best know him thanks to his musical talent as of the most influential composers and pianists of all time. Ludwig van Beethoven was a musical prodigy from an early age, then went on to create tons of famous works.

Here’s the thing — we can totally see the modern version of Beethoven starring as the male lead in a young adult Netflix series (a la The Kissing Booth, but, you know, about music and stuff).

Cleopatra might just be one of the most famous female rulers of the ancient world (if not the most famous). She’s also often described as a great beauty, with her looks being attributed to the reason she had a romantic relationship with both Caesar and Mark Antony.

Modern historians, however, have found more accurate accounts that depict the last ruler of the Egyptian empire as a clever and charming leader who drew people in more with the strength of her character rather than her striking beauty.

Looking at those rosy cheeks and pout, you’d be fooled into thinking that this young woman is the epitome of innocence. And you’d be absolutely wrong! Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, known as Madame De Pompadour, held the official title of chief mistress to King Louis XV.

She then spent much of her time at the royal court building a vast network of high-ranking supporters who helped her gain nobility titles for herself and her family. She was also a patron of the arts and of philosophy.

So, from what we know — Hatshepsut (daughter of Thutmose I the Pharaoh) married her half-brother, Thutmose II, when they were both around 14. However, shortly after becoming Pharaoh himself, Thutmose II died, leaving their son to rule.

But, because Thutmose III was still a child, Hatshepsut became the de-facto regent (yas, Queen!). According to historians, she held the throne for about 21 years and was responsible for many major building projects in the empire.

He’ll be your “Man for All Seasons” with his “Four Seasons” concerto for violin! You’ve heard his name, and you’ve listened to his music (seriously, it’s inescapable), but you probably haven’t taken much time to see what Antonio Vivaldi looked like.

Sadly, despite his incredible talent as a composer, Vivaldi’s life wasn’t the easiest. While he achieved great success in his early career, he experienced financial difficulties by the end of his life, which left him destitute at the age of 63.

If the Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world, then surely her creator, Leonardo da Vinci, is the most famous artist in history. But as we all know, he wasn’t just an artist. Da Vinci was a polymath in every sense of the word.

He was an engineer, a scientist, a painter, an architect, and a theorist (among his many titles). While the AI portrait does capture Leonardo’s prominent nose, we’re not quite sure it does justice to the genius. What do you think?

So, here’s the thing, Frederic Chopin lived up until 1849 — which means there are actual photos of him that can help us estimate what he would have looked like nowadays. However, since they’re extremely old, they’re horribly grainy and low quality.

Luckily, we can still lean on AI to show us what he would have looked like. Does he make anyone else think of a tortured musician? In his life, though, he was regarded more like a musical celebrity, with people fighting to buy his compositions and following along with his love life.

She might have been a Swynford for most of her life, holding on to the last name after her husband’s passing, but Katherine was a lot more well-known as the mistress and then wife of John of Gaunt (the Duke of Lancaster).

If she were alive today, her drama-filled life would have definitely snagged her a reality TV show. Seriously, it’s got everything you would want in a show — this widow/mistress became the ancestor of all later English kings when her lover made their love official!

When you think of great historic leaders, one of the first to come to mind is probably Alexander the Great (“great” is literally in his title). But, when you learn a thing or two about him, it becomes even more unbelievable.

Like, did you know that Alexander became King of Macedon at just age 20, and by age 30 had created one of the largest empires ever through military campaigns and clever tactics? Can you imagine the AI version of him doing such impressive things?

This interesting lady is probably going to be less familiar to most of you. In fact, like Mona Lisa, she’s mostly known thanks to this bust sculpture created in her likeness by the famed artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Costanza Bonarelli was a noblewoman, merchant, and art dealer who lived in Italy in the 1600s. She was also more than just a muse to Barnini, with the two having an affair, which led to her being imprisoned for a time before returning to her husband. How scandalous!

He might have been the namesake of a complex having to do with being overly short, but did you know that Napoleon was actually of pretty average height for his time in France?

He also didn’t really have much to feel inadequate about, what with being one of the most brilliant military leaders of all time… His AI portrait certainly captured the round cheeks and curved nose of the original. But, can you really imagine modern-day Napoleon Bonaparte bringing entire political powers to their knees?

You might know his face from those world-famous Austrian chocolate bonbons that also use his name for their marketing, but there’s a lot more to this young man than just sweet confections. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a true musical prodigy.

Sadly, when it came to creating music and fame, his incredible talent didn’t spare him from a tragically young demise. He passed away at only 35 without finishing his final masterpiece.

This bearded dude might seem pretty plain now, but back in the Roman Empire, he was incredibly important. In fact, Marcus Aurelius was considered the last emperor of Pax Romana (the golden age of the Empire).

During his time as emperor, Rome enjoyed an amazingly peaceful and stable period, although that’s hardly surprising once you learn that he placed great importance on philosophy and learning. In fact, he’s considered an incredibly influential Stoic philosopher.

Julius Caesar might just be the most famous Roman leader of all time. His military brilliance and political maneuvering are legendary, thanks to how they helped him become the head of the Roman Empire. Of course, he’s just as famous for his death. “Et Tu, Brute?”

We have to admit, with the way he looks in his modern-day portrait (like a high-powered jerk), we can’t help but feel as though we might have liked to stab him in the back too — metaphorically, of course!

“It is a truth universally acknowledged” that Jane Austen was a freaking literary QUEEN! But, not everyone appreciated her gift with the pen — she had to publish her works anonymously as they wouldn’t have sold well if people knew a woman was behind the much-loved novels.

Sadly, she passed away way too young, at age 41, with only six novels written. But at least after her passing, she gained the recognition she deserved in life. Thankfully, to this day, her books have been incredibly successful and are still printed.

You might not know her as Empress Elisabeth (although that was her name). Instead, you might recognize her nickname, Sisi, thanks to several film and TV adaptations of her life story that have been done over the years.

She was married to Emperor Franz Joseph I when she was just 16, throwing her into formal court life. It seems like she did get the hang of things, though, because she then became instrumental in bringing the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary into existence.

When you imagine the OG brainiacs, three people probably come to mind — Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. After all, so much of our modern philosophy and science have been built on the foundation that these men created. Unsurprisingly, Aristotle was Plato’s student from about age 17.

Shortly after his mentor and teacher passed away, Aristotle himself became a tutor as he was requested to teach the young Alexander the Great (before he was great, obviously). His modern-day pic certainly conveys the wisdom he gained over the years… even if we’re not sure it quite looks like him.

“Marco!” “Polo!” you and your friends might shout in the pool, but did you ever spare a second to think about the person behind the silly discovery game? The actual Marco Polo was an Italian explorer, merchant, and writer.

He rose after he recorded and published his journey along the Silk Road to China in the late 1200s, alongside his father and uncle. His book, The Travels of Marco Polo, opened up the East to the European people at the time.

Here’s another impressive explorer who made the world a little bigger for people. Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer who lived until 1524. While Marco Polo found his way to China mostly by land, it was da Gama who was the first to find a way to India through the sea.

While he might have been a trailblazer, he was also known to be incredibly ruthless and brutal, also fostering that same violence in his crew and followers. In fact, his actions caused the Portuguese to be seen in such a light throughout the Age of Exploration.

Let’s take a look at the father of Greek philosophy — Socrates. Or would grandfather suit him better since he was Plato’s teacher (who later taught Aristotle)? He certainly looks like a wise and grumpy grandpa in both his sculpture and his AI photo.

Do you know, however, that Socrates didn’t actually write any philosophical texts? His students did their best to commit every word to paper (or scroll), while he gave his lectures out loud. Incredibly, his life ended after he was put on trial for corrupting the youth.

You might think that the late Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch ever (let’s face it, her reign was incredibly long), but you’d actually be wrong! In fact, the record holder for the longest time on the throne was Louis XIV.

He became king of France in 1643 and ruled until he passed away in 1715 — that’s 72 years and 110 days! Despite holding the throne during three separate conflicts, France remained victorious thanks to his preoccupation with winning glory through warfare.

Marcus Tullius Cicero probably rings a little bell, especially if you happened to study Latin for some silly reason at some point in your education. If you haven’t read his fascinating arguments, you probably don’t know that he was an incredibly successful lawyer in Ancient Rome.

Impressively, his law career led him pretty quickly into a leadership position, with the height of it being when he was named Consul of the Roman Republic. Sadly, due to his strong beliefs against Mark Antony, he became the enemy of the state, which led to his violent death.

We had a look at Queen Cleo’s first lover, so it must be time to take a look at her second affair. Amazingly, Mark Antony might be the most dramatic of the trio. After unreset broke out, he married the sister of his political rival.

By the way, the rival was named Octavian, and his sister was called Octavia… Mark Antony then continued his affair with Cleopatra despite being married, even having three kids with the Egyptian queen. The scandal!

So, first of all, if you want to see Vincent van Gogh in the modern world, you don’t need to look at these AI photos. Don’t walk, run to watch Doctor Who’s incredible episode about van Gogh!

But in case you do want to experience what this tortured artist would have looked like in our world, you can still enjoy this image — which perfectly captures the deep and tragic sadness that filled this talented man’s life and heart.

Here’s another Renaissance polymath. No, it’s not the orange turtle from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s the Italian artist, architect, and poet that the martial arts-loving amphibian was named after.

He might seem somewhat old in these images (he did pass away at the ripe old age of 88), but he actually achieved much of his fame early. In fact, one of his greatest sculptures — David — was created before he turned 30!

Guess who this English queen was married to. Trust us, it’s not that hard — after all, six English queens were his wives. Anne of Cleves was Henry VIII’s fourth wife. Anne was originally from Germany and had an activist brother.

Going back to that little rhyme, Anne of Cleves was Henry’s second “divorced” wife. Their marriage, however, was actually annulled after they never became intimate. She stayed in England and was weirdly known by the title “the King’s Beloved Sister.” She outlived Henry and all his other wives.