Maurizio Anzeri, Edith, 2011

There is a small but noticeable trend amongst photo artists to use vintage photographs as a canvas for new work. Old studio portraits, actors’ publicity shots, cartes-de-visites and collectable postcards are getting a going-over with paintbrush, pencil and needle-and-cotton.

Tom Butler and Julie Cockburn add strange markings on 19th century faces and even veteran photographer Duane Michals has been painting cubistic designs to the faces in old portraits.

London-based Maurizio Anzeri applies embroidery to his found portrait photos combining complex colourful patterns with warm-toned studio portraits.

Maurizio Anzeri makes his portraits by sewing directly into found vintage photographs. His embroidered patterns garnish the figures like elaborate costumes, but also suggest a psychological aura, as if revealing the person’s thoughts or feelings.

This amusing video shows how he does it.

Maurizio Anzeri, Penny 2012

Maurizio Anzeri, Nicola, 2011