Romanian artist Istvan Laszlo’s portraits might be free of fleshy features but they’re sure full of personality! The Anatomy of Skulls series imagines what’s “inside” a few of history’s greatest idols, artists, and villains. Laszlo’s skeletal fantasy exaggerates Andy Warhol’s hairline, round John Lennon’s eye sockets into the shape of his iconic glasses, and give Vladimir Lenin a determined furrowing of the bone-forehead. Is this an ode to pseudoscience of phrenology? Is it accurate? Is it morbid? You decide. Click through our gallery of all of the artist’s skulls — famous, infamous, and a bit funny.
Andy, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Duchamp, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Beuys, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Hitler, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Gandhi, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Lenin, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Lennon, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Michael, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Mao, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Teresa, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
John Paul, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery
Freddie, Istvan Laszlo, Courtesy Sebastian Guinness Gallery