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Heroes in Stone: Léo Caillard's classical busts reimagined as superheroes

French artist Leo Caillard went viral in 2013 when his Hipsters in Stone series was picked up by international press and shared with millions worldwide. Now he's back with a new project, Heroes in Stone – depicting our favourite superheroes as carved classical busts.

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All images courtesy of Leo Caillard. Via Creative Boom submission.

All images courtesy of Leo Caillard. Via Creative Boom submission.

We're talking Batman, Captain America, Superman, Ironman and Spiderman – it's as though they've saved us from many disaster and now we want to pay tribute to them, so that future generations will know that they existed.

But these aren't actual sculptures; they are photographs that have been digitally retouched and played with to create new imagery that brings together old and new to deliver a contemporary twist on traditional fine art.

Based in Paris, Léo invites us to rediscover and question our social environment with a lightness of touch, humour and sensitivity. Since we discovered his work three years ago, he has also taken up sculpture and contemporary illustration, as well as photography. You can discover more of his work at leocaillard.com or follow him on Instagram.

Marble bust of Superman with cape, displayed on a wooden plinth with identification plaques, cast in shadow against a pale wall
Marble bust of Batman with pointed cowl and chest emblem on a fluted classical pedestal, displayed alongside a classical bust in a gallery setting
Two white marble busts on ornate plinths, the right figure displaying a superhero symbol on its chest, from Léo Caillard's Heroes in Stone series
Two marble busts on pedestals depicting superheroes as classical sculptures, part of Léo Caillard's Heroes in Stone series
Bronze bust of Iron Man in classical style, wearing ornate armour with a glowing chest piece, displayed on a marble pedestal against a white building with arched windows
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