This Artist Reimagined 16 Famous Masterpieces From Behind, And The Results Are Fascinating

Jason Sargent Saturday, July 18, 2026

Community PandaSat, July 18, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC

We tend to think of famous paintings as complete images, rarely wondering what exists beyond the frame or outside the artist's chosen perspective. Yet simply turning these masterpieces around raises an intriguing question: what would the scene look like from the opposite side? Spanish artist Domingo Geronimo Mattle answered that question with a deceptively simple idea that quickly went viral, capturing the imagination of millions by revealing a fresh perspective on some of art history's most recognizable works.

In his ongoing series, "The Other Side," Mattle paints the unseen backs of iconic masterpieces by artists including Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Vermeer, Gilbert Stuart, and Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck. Rather than parodying the originals, Domingo thoughtfully extends their visual worlds, imagining what the artists never showed us. The result is a collection that feels both familiar and entirely new, encouraging viewers to look beyond the canvas and reconsider paintings they thought they knew by heart.

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#1 American Gothic By Grant Wood

#2 Arnolfini Portrait By Jan Van Eyck