Lens Curated Feature
Versailles Reimagined
by Anastasia Jackson
Anastazia Jackson © All rights reserved.
Napoleon Bonaparte, the Eternal Emperor
This piece embodies the iconic figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, with a minimalist yet powerful setting that positions him as a key historical figure. His determined gaze and recognizable military uniform are the focal points, representing the emperor’s power and vision. The contrast between the background’s simplicity and the visual impact of his figure enhances the grandeur of his presence.
Versailles Reimagined is a Fine Art photography series by Anastasia Jackson that reinterprets the grandeur of French royal history through a contemporary lens. Inspired by the Renaissance and the opulence of the court of Louis XIV, the series blends historical imagination with modern artistic expression.
Each portrait reimagines iconic figures such as Marie-Antoinette and Napoléon Bonaparte, transforming them into theatrical compositions that exist between past and present.
The artist creates intricate headpieces from recycled and found materials, transforming discarded objects into elaborate sculptural forms inspired by the hairstyles and aesthetics of the Versailles era. This process gives new life to forgotten materials while reinforcing the dialogue between history, beauty, and transformation.
The series becomes both a visual escape and a reflection on identity, memory, and reinvention — where historical grandeur is not only remembered, but reimagined.
Anastasia Jackson
Elizabeth I – The Reign Reimagined
In this self-portrait, I embody Queen Elizabeth I of England. My head is adorned with a cushion wrapped in a red ribbon, and I wear a ruff made from rolled recycled paper. Through these handcrafted elements, I reinterpret the powerful presence of the Virgin Queen, blending nobility with sustainable creativity. Here, history meets invention — and I become Elizabeth I, reinvented through art.”
“My creative process is fully handcrafted and intuitive. I design and build all the artistic headpieces and ruffs featured in my work using recycled materials. I also do the makeup, artistic direction, and photography, followed by several hours of digital retouching to bring each composition to life. The result is a poetic and symbolic visual narrative inspired by lived experience, feminine archetypes, and collective imagination.”
In this poetic piece, the birdcage becomes a transformative element, worn as a symbolic headdress. The pink ruff and the birds adorning it add a fragile and soft dimension to the image. The cage, both confining and ornamental, evokes the idea of freedom and constraint, while adding a touch of femininity and delicacy.”
Right: The piece “Horlogerie de Versailles” features a magnificent golden clock, symbolizing royal time and the opulence of the court of Versailles. This clock, at the center of the image, represents the elegance and majesty of the era, while capturing the idea that time is a luxury reserved for the greatest. The minimalist and refined background enhances the richness of the clock’s details.
For The Clockwork of Versailles, I recovered a broken clock from a flea market and sprayed it gold.
I used a secondhand wedding dress from Emmaüs for Marie Antoinette and created a headpiece by gluing wooden boats onto an egg carton. Each piece tells a story — a tribute, a memory, a resurrection.”
Anastazia Jackson © All rights reserved.
Born in Normandy, France, Anastasia Jackson draws on her roots for a deep artistic sensitivity shaped by history and classical aesthetics. Her journey began in the world of beauty — studying hairdressing and aesthetics — before evolving into a more conceptual path through her education at the Fine Arts School in Caen, where she developed a personal and expressive artistic vision.
Early on, she became passionate about Fine Art photography, a medium that allows her to merge technical skill with an imagination inspired by the great periods of European history. Influenced by the splendor of the Renaissance and the opulence of the court of Louis XIV, her work explores a theatrical and timeless aesthetic.
Through her portraits, Anastasia Jackson brings iconic figures such as Marie-Antoinette and Napoléon Bonaparte back to life, reinterpreting them with a contemporary sensibility. Each image becomes a scene — a suspended fragment of history between past and present.
Her creative process is deeply unique: she designs and creates her own artistic headpieces using recycled materials, often sourced from donations or discarded objects. Through careful transformation, these elements become works of art in their own right, echoing the elaborate hairstyles of the Versailles era.
Beyond aesthetics, her art represents a true escape. It is a refuge — a space for reconstruction and intimate expression. In a contemporary world that can often feel harsh, Anastasia Jackson chooses to recreate beauty, grandeur, and poetry from another time, offering viewers an immersive experience that is both historical and deeply personal.
“I design and create all the artistic headpieces and ruffs featured in my work using recycled materials. Additionally, I handle the makeup, creative direction, and photography, followed by several hours of digital retouching to bring each composition to life. The result is a poetic and symbolic visual narrative inspired by personal experiences, feminine archetypes, and collective imagination.”
Originally from Deauville, I grew up in a world of elegance, creativity, and aesthetics. My father worked for Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, iconic figures in the fashion world, and my mother was an interior designer. I was immersed in the harmony of shapes, materials, and beauty from an early age.
I trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Caen, followed by the Moriss School of Aesthetics, where I mastered professional makeup techniques, hairstyling, and photography. These skills became the foundation of my artistic language — a hybrid art form that blends history, fashion, recycled materials, and photography to bring historical characters back to life.
I create living portraits inspired by Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, and Molière. I design the costumes, craft the headpieces, and build the set. Nothing is left to chance: the beauty mark delicately drawn near the lips, the repurposed hat, a handmade revolutionary cockade — every detail is intentional, reimagined, and symbolic.
Recycling lies at the heart of my approach. I’ve made the ruff collar—a historical accessory—which became my artistic signature. It is crafted using plastic cups, coffee filters, placemats, or rolled-up newspapers. My artistic headpieces are created from objects salvaged from Boston’s streets, thrift stores, or church donations: old cushions, broken lampshades, Christmas garlands, and miniature boats. I give new life to what others discard, transforming it into something poetic and powerful.
For The Clockwork of Versailles, I recovered a broken clock from a flea market and sprayed it gold. I used a secondhand wedding dress from Emmaüs for Marie Antoinette and created a headpiece by gluing wooden boats onto an egg carton. Each piece tells a story — a tribute, a memory, a resurrection.
Today, I live in Boston, speak fluent Brazilian Portuguese, and embrace a multicultural identity. I’ve been featured in various local newspapers, including within the Brazilian and French communities in the U.S., and collaborated with stylist-designer Sylvie Dahi. I am currently preparing for my first solo exhibition at the French School of Boston.
My art bridges eras, cultures, and materials. It speaks of transformation, memory, and rebirth.
Anastasia Jackson
Artiste visuelle | Malden, USA / Deauville, France
Expos : École Française Boston, Le Courrier des Amériques, Brazilian Times, Art Market
Langues : Français, Portugais, Anglais