Whether viewed at the Louvre or on the first page of a Google search, history's most beautiful paintings and sculptures have continued to be a source of inspiration for the work of our greatest filmmakers, from Christopher Nolan's fascination with Francis Bacon (which inspired The Joker's makeup in The Dark Knight) to Sofia Coppola's homage to Jacques-Louis David's "Napoleon Crossing the Alps" in Marie Antoinette.
In this video essay, Vugar Efendi reveals just how large of an impact the art world has had on the cinematic world by putting both shots and their muses side by side.
And in case you missed it, here is Efendi's first installment of Film Meets Art, which was posted six months ago.
There's a lot to take from watching these two videos, but I think the most important thing is this: always be open to new sources of inspiration. Right now, you might be filling up your time by watching movie after movie—which is great, don't get me wrong, but if you open your eyes or turn your head just a little, you might come across something you've never seen/experienced/heard/felt before, and it could end up being the creative catalyst you've been looking for.
I wasn't a big fan of the plastic arts until I got to college and boned up on some art history. That's where I fell in love with Francisco Goya's work, specifically his Black Paintings, and that's where I came up with my current screenplay idea—just casually sitting on my porch thinking about "Saturn Devouring His Son," watching my neighbors pull up and take grocery bags out of their trunk, and thinking, "What if there were human flesh in those bags?"
You never know when inspiration might strike.
'Saturn Devouring His Son' (Francisco Goya)
Source: Vugar Efendi
