It’s been a while since I did a Thing of the Week. Recently I’ve been entertained by a website called Retronaut.co (note it’s a “.co” site, not “.com”).

The site has hundreds of eclectic and strange images ranging from the 1800s to the WWII era. There is even a 0-1800 section filled with imagery from early history. The website also includes images from artists who reflect those times in history in some way in their contemporary work.

The site is like opening a magical trunk of strange found historical images mixed with modern fine art and some not-so-fine art images. I’ve spent more time on the site than I’d like to admit, and only scratched the surface of what’s there. Here are a few of my favorites so far:

http://www.retronaut.co/2011/09/ageing-superhero/ Work of Andreas Englund http://artofdala.com/ Love this! What would happen if our super heroes aged as we do? The special powers are trapped in aging bodies that have begun to betray and break down. Even with super hero powers, age limits how and when those powers can be used. Our heroes become like us. We picture ourselves as younger than we actually are. We think if it comes down to it, we can still do what we once did. When we try to act on youth we no longer possess, our bodies remind us that we will never again be as young and as able as we think we are or should be.

http://www.retronaut.co/2010/12/apocalypse-in-miniature/ Work of Lori Nix

http://www.retronaut.co/2011/10/legion-of-devils-1902/

http://www.retronaut.co/2011/10/mummified-barbies/ Work of E.V. Day

http://www.retronaut.co/2010/05/the-cabinet-of-sarah-hare/

http://www.retronaut.co/2011/12/parting-the-veil-of-faery-1890s/

http://www.retronaut.co/2010/04/bugs-bunny-as-memento-mori/ Work of Hyungkoo Lee

Have fun playing around on Retronaut. Talk to you early next week!