Over the past few years, embroidery has made a comeback in a major way. For many artists, it’s taken the place of paint—now, they render their imagery in thread rather than with pigment on canvas. But, the tie to fine arts is never fully gone. In fact, artists have translated brush strokes as thread to recreate and celebrate works from art history. They’re now a unique hybrid known as embroidery painting. Here, elements of color theory and shading are incorporated with stitches to build the same depth and form that you’d find in the source painting.
This type of embroidered art history is a beautiful homage to individuals like Van Gogh, whose highly textured approach translates perfectly into stitches. In his works like The Starry Night and Self Portrait, the likenesses achieved from the embroidery artists is uncanny. Every stitch seemingly represents a stroke of paint and captures the spirit of Van Gogh’s iconic art.
Check out more embroidered art history, below.
The Starry Night (1888) by Vincent Van Gogh
The Starry Night painting by Vincent Van Gogh
Embroidered interpretation by Lauren Spark
Read more: Artist Beautifully Reimagines Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” in Detailed Embroidery
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
“Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci
Embroidered interpretation by Jamie Chalmers
Self Portrait (1889) by Vincent Van Gogh
Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh
Embroidered interpretation by Ezgi Pamir
Portrait of Frida Kahlo
Photograph of Frida Kahlo
Embroidered interpretation by Nadya Guseva
Portrait of Joseph Roulin (1889) by Vincent van Gogh
Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Vincent van Gogh
Embroidered interpretation by Lisa Smirnova
Head of a Woman by Picasso
Head of a Woman by Picasso
Embroidered interpretation by Sew Appalled
Water Lilies by Monet
Left: Water Lilies by Monet | Right: Embroidered interpretation by Thimble Thistle
Where the Wild Things Are (1963) by Maurice Sendak
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Embroidered interpretation by Lisa Smirnova
Where the Wild Things Are (Detail)
Campbell’s Soup Cans (1962) by Andy Warhol
Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
Embroidered interpretation by Diane Irby