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This Renaissance take on The Legend of Zelda is stunning

Want to keep your nerdiness classy? We have just the thing.

 

Colette Bennett

Internet Culture

Posted on May 18, 2016   Updated on May 26, 2021, 6:25 pm CDT

There’s no shortage of Legend of Zelda fanart in the wild, but Zelda fans still manage to thrill and inspire with their new offerings. The latest addition to this world of talent is a unique take on Hyrule’s most famous characters.

San Diego illustrator and painter Astor Alexander has reenvisioned classic works of art from the Renaissance period to feature Link, Zelda, Ganon, and other stars of the franchise.

This painting, “The Beast and the Princess,” is inspired by sculptor Pierre-Eugène-Emile Hébert’s 1859 work “Death and the Maiden.”

Astor Alexander

The detail is absolutely stunning—and Ganon has never looked quite so disgusting (or realistic).

Astor Alexander

Astor Alexander

This painting was inspired by Caravaggio’s 1610 painting “David with the Head of Goliath.” It makes Ganon seem a lot more evil, doesn’t it?

Astor Alexander

Alexander has been in the spotlight before for his equally incredible Nintendo-themed pin-up covers of imaginary pulp-fiction reads. Prints of his work are available on his Society6 page.

H/T Geek X Girls

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*First Published: May 18, 2016, 1:30 pm CDT