Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Someone Made A Very Important Point About That Viral G7 Photo—And It's Art History FTW

Someone Made A Very Important Point About That Viral G7 Photo—And It's Art History FTW
Photo by Jesco Denzel /Bundesregierung via Getty Images

The now infamous photograph of world leaders towering over a sitting President Donald Trump has sparked an unusual debate among art historians, and we've learned something today.


The body language in the picture is remarkable, and very telling, with world leaders appearing exasperated at Trump's embarrassing behavior and disrespectful treatment of our allies over what he feels are unfair trade agreements.

In the center of the image is German Chancellor Angela Merkel looming over Trump, who has his arms folded and sports a look of quiet self-righteousness on his face. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears frustrated, too.

The dynamic captured by photographer Jesco Denzel has art historians sparring over whether it more resembles Renaissance art, or Baroque art.

"Body Language."

Esquire's Pete Forester said the picture "looks like a Renaissance painting."

One of the signature traits of Renaissance art is the incorporation of a Fibonacci pattern, which can be observed with an expanding spiral, within the work. The Denzel image appears to conform to a Fibonacci sequence. In case you're wondering, Fibonacci spirals occur throughout nature, such as in flowers and sea shells. In mathematics, a Fibonacci sequence is a pattern of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two previous numbers, such as 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and so on.

But one art historian disagrees, despite the aforementioned pattern. Twitter user @Palle_Hoffstein thinks it better resembles a Baroque period piece.

Why? It's all related to the spacing of the subjects within the painting. Renaissance art had people evenly spaced, as if on a stage, creating a symmetrical line of sight for the observer. Essentially, the images were created to look staged.

Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" showcases this effect rather well.

In Denzel's photo, however, the subjects are not evenly spaced. Rather, they appear in a natural formation, captured as they were in that moment. It is this characteristic, according to Hoffstein, that makes the photo appear Baroque.

Notice how in the Caravaggio, it looks like something is going on, or as Hoffstein put it, there is "energy between the subjects."

Also, notice how in the Baroque period art, subjects within the painting have their backs turned toward the audience, just like in the G7 picture.

Hoffstein also said that the Denzel photograph reminded him of a Rembrandt, in which people surround one subject, engaged in an activity in which the subject is the focus. This is what we see in the picture of the G7 leaders, except instead of dissecting a cadaver, we have a room full of people desperately trying to understand the President of the United States.

Thanks for this. Mom must be proud!

More from Trending

Yassamin Ansari; Screenshot of Kellyanne Conway
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Fox News

Dem Rep. Epically Shuts Down Kellyanne Conway's Claim Sydney Sweeney Ad Is Causing Liberal 'Panic'

Actor Sydney Sweeney recently faced backlash over her American Eagle ad campaign titled “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.” The campaign plays on the words “jeans” and “genes,” which some critics claim alludes to eugenics—a theory widely discredited as scientifically inaccurate and ethically dangerous.

According to former presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway—who gave us the term "alternative facts"—the campaign has sparked "panic on the left."

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa Kudrow in 'Death to 2020'
Netflix

Lisa Kudrow's Portrayal Of A MAGA Spokesperson Resurfaces—And It's Eerily Accurate

Actor Lisa Kudrow has gone viral after her performance in the Netflix mockumentary Death to 2020 as a truth-denying spokesperson for President Donald Trump went viral—prompting many to point out that her portrayal is still spot on.

The film, from the minds of Black Mirror creators Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, centers on a group of fictional characters reflecting on major U.S. and U.K. events of 2020, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. presidential election.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Molly Martinez
RSBN

White House Reporter Reacts After Video Glitch Sparks Conspiracy Theory That She's A 'Lizard Person'

White House reporter Molly Martinez responded after a White House livestream glitched and caused her eyes to look completely white for a split-second—prompting conspiracy theorists to go wild and claim she is a "lizard person" who is secretly controlling the government.

Martinez, a Washington-based journalist for local TV chain Gray Television, appeared on camera June 19 in the White House press room, smiling at a friend. A glitch in the original footage made her eyes look entirely white—something conspiracy theorists seized on as “evidence” she’s a lizard person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Ben Ferguson and Abby Philip
CNN

Right-Wing Podcaster Blasted After Making Absurd Claim About Trump And Crime Rates In 2024

Conservative podcaster Ben Ferguson left hs fellow CNN panelists stunned after he made the bizarre claim that falling crime rates in 2024 were due to President Donald Trump's policies—even though Trump didn't begin his second term until January 2025.

Ferguson spoke after Trump—who presented fake crime statistics—announced his decision to federalize police in Washington, D.C., and deploy the National Guard in an effort to fight crime.

Keep ReadingShow less
A bride and a groom holding hands
man and woman holding hands focus photo

People Who Attended Multiple Weddings For The Same Person Describe The Differences

Weddings are a wonderful celebration of love and commitment.

That being said, all of us have likely been to a wedding where we have wondered "how long do you think it's going to last".

Keep ReadingShow less