If Beyoncé had the ability to fly, I wouldn’t even be surprised The extravagant folds in Bey’s outfit even mimics Victory’s wings. Both are rapping verses in front of this sculpture, implying that they both embody the figure of Victory themselves. Here we see Bey and Jay in front of the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Veronese’s preference of glamour seems pretty in character with APES**T’s lyrics regarding the Carters’ lavish lifestyles. Veronese’s version strayed from the traditional style, however instead of placing the scene in an inn as was commonly done, he placed it in a castle and even dressed the characters in upper-class clothing. It’s been depicted by major artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt. This biblical scene where a resurrected Jesus reveals himself to his disciples by blessing bread is no stranger to the art world. Bey and Jay’s power stance in front of the famed painting suggests that perhaps they are both the “Mona Lisa” of their respective genres. Similarly, Beyoncé and Jay-Z are two of the highest-selling hip-hop artists of all time. It’s considered the most recognizable painting of all time and also has an incredible estimated value at over $600 billion. Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait of the Mona Lisa is one of the most, if not the most, visited paintings in the world. We’ll see more of Veronese’s work later in the video.Īctual footage of the Mona Lisa’s reaction to Beyoncé You can also see paintings by Italian Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese like Supper in Emmaus (right) and Jupiter Hurling Thunderbolts at The Vices (left). So much tenderness and love in one picture! I couldn’t help but notice similarities between this painting and Beyonce’s maternity photoshoot (pictured below) with her twins Rumi and Sir, who just celebrated their first birthday a few days before the video was released.ĪPES**T begins playing once we see Bey and Jay standing in front of the Mona Lisa - you might have heard of it.

The Virgin of the Green Cushion, Andrea Solario, 1507 The colorful lights shining on the ceiling take away from the austerity of the painting and set the tone for the video- this is going to be more than a showcase of art. Originally Charles Le Brun was commissioned to paint this ceiling, but the project was handed over to Delacroix who discarded Le Brun’s idea of placing Apollo in a chariot in favor or your typical Good vs Evil painting. How much do you think it takes to rent out the entire Louvre?Ĭhanging colors light up the ceiling of the LouvreĪpollo Slays Python, Eugene Delacroix, 1850 It’s an interesting choice in terms of filming location, and you can argue whether or not it’s “empowering” or “political enough,” but as you figure that out, here’s a comprehensive guide to each of the artworks featured in the video. The music video for APES**T features black bodies in a museum that predominantly showcases white artists and artworks that definitely call back to colonialism. The track, produced in part by Pharrell Williams, features vocals from Offset and Quavo from Migos so you already know this song is going to be the summer’s hottest track, and the visually-stunning music video might spark as much conversation as Childish Gambino’s This is America. With it came a ton of art references- the album cover features the Mona Lisa and the music video for its first single APES**T was filmed in the Louvre ( watch it here ). R&B/hip-hop power couple Beyonce and Jay-Z dropped their long-awaited album Everything Is Love without warning this past weekend. The Carters’ newest music video is a work of art.

Jay z beyonce new video