If you have ever looked at a museum masterpiece and thought, “This would absolutely go viral if the subject were dressed in more modern attire,” Scottish artist Ross Muir is basically making art for you.
Muir has built a following by remixing instantly recognizable historical imagery and giving it a sharp, modern streetwear twist. A saintly, icon-style portrait becomes “Wee Mary,” complete with a glowing gold halo and a nameplate necklace that feels more like a pop star accessory than a sacred symbol.
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#1 ˝Square Gogh˝
Image source: Ross Muir
Van Gogh appears in multiple forms as well, including Muir’s viral “Square Gogh” take and versions that swap tortured artist energy for sporty confidence, such as the one rocking a Titleist visor with golf clubs slung over his shoulder.
#2
Image source: Ross Muir
#3 ˝Cona Lisa˝
Image source: Ross Muir
Elsewhere, you will spot nods to classic portraiture that suddenly feel like they belong on an album cover, a fashion lookbook, or a Glasgow street corner, with bold Adidas stripes, hoodies, and logo-level styling doing the heavy lifting.
#4 ˝Frida Perry˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#5
Image source: Ross Muir
What makes Muir’s work click is that it is not just a cheap joke over a famous painting. He keeps the pose, the lighting, and the atmosphere that made the original compelling, then drops in contemporary details that change the entire personality.
#6
Muir’s reimagining of Van Dyke’s self portrait.
Image source: Ross Muir
#7
Muir’s reimaginin of ˝Pas Mèche˝ (˝Nothing Doing˝) by Jules Bastien-Lepage.
Image source: Ross Muir
#8 ˝High Winds Blow On High Hills˝
Image source: Ross Muir
A Frida Kahlo-inspired portrait gets turned into “Frida Perry,” swapping traditional dress for a crisp polo and big hoops, while a refined figure with a halo might show up looking like she is about to walk into a club rather than a cathedral.
#9 ˝Green Lady˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#10 ˝Frida˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#11 ˝Green Lady, Red Top˝
Image source: Ross Muir
Muir’s story is part of the appeal, too. Born in 1981 and based in Scotland, he started painting at 30 with no formal training after receiving a small set of paints as a gift. What began as a hobby and an escape quickly turned into a full-time career.
#12 ˝Completed It, Mate˝
Muir’s remake of ˝After the ball˝ from 1899, by Catalan Artist Ramon Casas.
Image source: Ross Muir
#13 ˝One Man’s Pigeon, Is Another Man’s Dove.˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#14 ˝Wee Mary˝
Image source: Ross Muir
In 2018, “Square Gogh” blew up online, galleries took notice, and his first solo exhibition in Glasgow sold out before the doors even opened. When lockdown hit, he took the joke outside, plastering Glasgow with his “Jist Gogh Hame” posters and catching international attention, including a shoutout from the official Van Gogh Museum on Instagram.
#15 ˝Two Sons˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#16 ˝Tiga Tiga˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#17 ˝The Problem With Time˝
Image source: Ross Muir
Maddox Gallery later brought him on as a represented artist, cementing what social media had already figured out: old art still has plenty of life in it, especially when you dress it like it has places to be.
#18
Muir’s rendition of Vladimir Tretchikoff’s ˝Balinese girl˝.
Image source: Ross Muir
#19 ˝Bulletproof˝
A reworking of a painting by Raphael of Saint Sebastian.
Image source: Ross Muir
#20 ˝Billy Cone-Lly˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#21 ˝Apache˝
Muir’s reimagining of Ernst Deger’s ˝Portrait of a young woman,˝ 1890.
Image source: Ross Muir
#22
Image source: Ross Muir
#23 ˝Green Bow˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#24 ˝The Bridge Home˝
Muir’s reimagining of Henri Rousseau’s ˝Myself,˝ portrait-landscape from 1890 by inserting himself into the painting.
Image source: Ross Muir
#25 ˝Absolute Belters˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#26
Image source: Ross Muir
#27 ˝Really?˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#28 ˝Say Grace˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#29 ˝Taking The…˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#30 ˝Rogue˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#31 ˝Nevermind˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#32 ˝Cut & Burn˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#33 “Jacqueline With Flowers”
Image source: Ross Muir
#34
Image source: Ross Muir
#35 ˝Frida Perry (Back To Black)˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#36 ˝Maddog˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#37 ˝Good Boy˝
A remake of ˝Boy and rabbit˝ painted in 1814 by Sir Henry Raeburn.
Image source: Ross Muir
#38 ˝Crop Here˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#39 ˝Oh Jessica˝
Image source: Ross Muir
#40
Image source: Ross Muir
You can see Muir’s other works on his Instagram page and website. Let us know in the comments which is your favorite!
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