Nearly 53 years ago, the famed illustrator Norman Rockwell painted The Connoisseur for The Saturday Evening Post magazine. It shows a man standing in front of a Jackson Pollock-esque style painting at a museum or gallery. Today, that same character, in his matching suit, is back to see a more modern form of art known as the animated GIF. He can be found on the Tumblr aptly titled The Gif Connoisseur.
Just like its predecessor, the man stands with his back to us, but this time watches explosions, optical illusions, abstract textures, and much more. It’s an amusing idea that produces entertaining cultural mashups by pairing a traditional painting style with a contemporary digital art form. And, you can see even more of these creations on the Tumblr page.
The Original Norman Rockwell Painting, The Connoisseur
