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We take plenty of photos but for most of us, it's pretty difficult to get good at it. No matter how hard we're trying. Others, however, can produce a spectacular image even when they're not.

The subreddit r/AccidentalRenaissance is the biggest online "gallery" for these works — it showcases photographs that inadvertently resemble well-composed Renaissance-style art.

"We recognize there are many related art movements between the 14th and 19th centuries, including Baroque, Neo-classicism, Romantic, Dutch Golden Age, etc. All of these styles are appreciated and welcomed within this subreddit!" the moderators of r/AccidentalRenaissance write.

Following up on our earlier publications (part 1, part2), we put together a new list of the best masterpieces the subreddit has to offer. Enjoy.

#1

Stuck My Arm In The Coop To Sneak A Pic Of The Hens Settling Down At Dusk One Night- “Magic Hour”

Stuck My Arm In The Coop To Sneak A Pic Of The Hens Settling Down At Dusk One Night- “Magic Hour”

hawws12 Report

#2

National Park In Italy

National Park In Italy

RobinBSad Report

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Add a few naked ladies and wisps of silk, and it'll be a perfect Rococco landscape!

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To further explain Accidental Renaissance, the people who look after the subreddit provide these descriptions:

  • Composition: triangular/pyramidal figures, dynamic, asymmetrical, foreshortening, and, of course, the use of the Fibonacci sequence or Golden Ratio;
  • Lighting: Featuring use of sfumato (blurring/softening of outlines) and/or chiaroscuro (strong contrasts between light and dark);
  • Subject: Landscapes, people, scenes that feature one or both of the above.
#3

Billie Holiday Performing "Strange Fruit" In NYC's First Ever Integrated Club, 1939

Billie Holiday Performing "Strange Fruit" In NYC's First Ever Integrated Club, 1939

Bootypoppanties_vevo Report

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Strange fruit is about the racial hate and the lynching of African Americans. Read the lyrics and look at that "lovely vintage picture" again. https://genius.com/Billie-holiday-strange-fruit-lyrics

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#4

This Candid Of My Hubby During The Texas Blackout

This Candid Of My Hubby During The Texas Blackout

Hell00-Sweetie Report

A representative of the mod team, u/Openminded_skeptic, told Bored Panda that "the most popular subjects appear to be scenes with crowds of people doing things like protesting, marching for a cause, or otherwise expressing themselves; highly saturated, photos of people, livestock, or interesting architecture featuring chiaroscuro and many times sun or light rays highlighting a portion of the photo; and photos featuring politicians or world leaders seem to be fairly popular."

#5

The Winner Of The Miami Street Photography Festival Award By Paul Kessel

The Winner Of The Miami Street Photography Festival Award By Paul Kessel

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As of today, the community has 816K members, or as they call themselves, universalis personae. u/Openminded_skeptic describes them "as passionate and invested in the subreddit and the subject of Renaissance-esque photography, sometimes to the point of getting into spirited debates in the comment section on whether a particular photo is or is not either accidental or Renaissance!"

u/Openminded_skeptic attributes the popularity of the subreddit to the universal appeal of the period. "Renaissance-era art was really about humanity's rebirth, culturally, economically, politically, and artistically," they said. "I think that's something that never goes out of style."

#7

Vermeer Vibes

Vermeer Vibes

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Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What shall we call this lost masterpiece, other than "Girl with a Mop"? That's just too inelegant!

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Indeed. Art, architecture, and science were closely linked during the Renaissance, and often these fields even fused together.

For example, artists like da Vinci incorporated scientific principles, such as anatomy into their work, so they could recreate the human body with extraordinary precision. Architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi immersed themselves in mathematics to accurately engineer and design immense buildings with expansive domes. And scientific discoveries by Galileo, Descartes, and other forward-thinking pioneers led to major shifts in thinking.

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Renaissance art was characterized by realism and naturalism — artists strived to depict people and objects in a true-to-life way, and these pictures achieve that too.

#9

Window To An Open Meadow

Window To An Open Meadow

Inazumaryoku Report

#12

Three Friends

Three Friends

AshrafulArefin Report

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Anonymous
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The bengali poster over them stands for. " It sells lungi(a garment) and towels. It also alter jeans pant".

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#13

This Polaroid My Dad Took In Amsterdam Back In The 1980s

This Polaroid My Dad Took In Amsterdam Back In The 1980s

Oldkingcole225 Report

#16

French Farmers Use Fire To Try To Save Their Vineyards During Cold Nights

French Farmers Use Fire To Try To Save Their Vineyards During Cold Nights

QompleteReasons Report

#17

Rainbow Soldier

Rainbow Soldier

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Hannah Edwards
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All I can think is the list of superheroes killed by their capes in the Incredibles,

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#21

A Priest In A Church Of Paris, France

A Priest In A Church Of Paris, France

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Michelle M
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would love to walk into this picture with a bed and just sleep for hours.

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#22

Winter Water Main Break At Night

Winter Water Main Break At Night

Raleigh_Water Report

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Downunderdude
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Despite the efforts of his PR team, it has been revealed that God does not inhabit heaven.

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#23

Friend Left A Knot On The Lead Rope By Accident And Left Us This Amazing Piece

Friend Left A Knot On The Lead Rope By Accident And Left Us This Amazing Piece

DadofMando Report

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Michelle M
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like a Renaissance picture where they're all reaching for enlightenment or whatever those paintings mean.

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#24

The More You Look, The Better It Gets

The More You Look, The Better It Gets

TheTallLebowski Report

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Alexia
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

404 error. Trump.exe has stopped working. Please restart the program, or wait for for the program to respond.

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#25

A Man Outside Of The Courthouse Learns That Derek Chauvin Was Found Guilty On All Three Counts

A Man Outside Of The Courthouse Learns That Derek Chauvin Was Found Guilty On All Three Counts

reddit.com Report

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#28

A Bad Hair Day That Turned Out Like An Oil Painting

A Bad Hair Day That Turned Out Like An Oil Painting

humphreybeargart Report

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SentimentAndBadJokes
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know why, but I really like his nose! It's got so much personality for some reason (kinda weird I know, but it just seems to add to this photo!)

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#30

A Young Monk

A Young Monk

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Roselyn Park
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brother Mark takes a vow of Contemplative Silence. Or maybe he broke a prop lightsaber and is trying to work out how to let George know.

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#31

Stephen Fry Being Vaccinated At The Poets' Corner Of Westminster Abbey

Stephen Fry Being Vaccinated At The Poets' Corner Of Westminster Abbey

DisenchantedIdealist Report

#32

Orthodox Jews In The Time Of Covid

Orthodox Jews In The Time Of Covid

rossblanket Report

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Dave P
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a funeral, all those not wearing masks were anti-body positive people, etc. Contrary to popular myth, it is a high vaccinated community, that follows scientific advice of their own medical orgs like JOWMA, and only came out average in terms of number of cases or deaths.

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#33

My Step Mother Trying To Cool Off And Sadie, Who Is Terrified Of My 6 Month Old Twins

My Step Mother Trying To Cool Off And Sadie, Who Is Terrified Of My 6 Month Old Twins

--eight Report

#35

Covid Reaches The Us, 2020

Covid Reaches The Us, 2020

PlatypusHashFarm Report

Note: this post originally had 105 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.

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