AI facial enhancements of historical figures
Whenever I go on Pinterest and search for napoleonic images I'm always dumbstruck by all those AI """enhanced""" portraits created by people who supposedly love them. You search for Marie Antoinette and then end up with Madison fucking Beer.
Of course I hate AI fiercely, I'm an artist, but this time it's not just it.
If you love a historical figure so much (or even someone from much more recent times, like a Hollywood star), then why do you need to distort their features?
And it's true that artists can change a character's looks, even I do that to Napoleon in my drawings to a certain extent. But I also think that there's a difference between redesigning someone in your own personal work and directly manipulate their photo or their painting.
It's especially bad when they do that in paintings. In a painted work there's so much more intention and lore compared to a photo, even behind a very idealised portrait, because even that may reveal something about the subject.
For example, Napoleon didn't necessarily want his portraits to be faithful, not just for practicality issues (he never sat for portraits because he couldn't stay still even for a second), but because he thought portraits should reflect his strong character. (To be fair he also rejected a giant naked statue of him as a very shredded Mars while he had a tummy, because it was ridiculous).
I dunno. It's already bad that people online can't go without enhancing filters on their own face, but modifying the face of a - often - dead person you formed a parasocial bond with... it's even more concerning.
Also, I've seen AI modifications on SOFIA LOREN's photos. Who in their right mind would think about enhancing SOFIA FUCKING LOREN'S face with AI???
