Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art
Culture-hounds take heart: Halloween doesn’t have to be all Honey Boo Boos and internet memes
![Van-Gogh-Costume-575.jpg](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/wgxAQrnKR4Nq2iMvwjraBZ9AtfY=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale():focal(347x249:348x250)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/cc/96/cc96e487-6496-4dde-88b5-cd744ec3fe29/van-gogh-costume-575.jpg)
As Woody Allen said, “Life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television.” And it seems there’s no day of the year when that’s more true than Halloween. But culture-hounds take heart: Halloween doesn’t have to be all reality TV stars and internet memes. Here are seven timeless costume ideas inspired by great works of art.
Self-Portrait, Vincent van Gogh:
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/tddbNrXN-OX5uTfiHW1Ep8dFaXA=/fit-in/1072x0/filters:focal(347x249:348x250)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/cc/96/cc96e487-6496-4dde-88b5-cd744ec3fe29/van-gogh-costume-575.jpg)
![Self-Portrait, 1889; Vincent van Gogh; Musee d’Orsay, Paris](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/DOnW29UU6GsXV4owX_AkHC_H_R4=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/30/2a/302ab8df-fdee-473a-ab8c-018ab267d649/van-gogh-self-portrait-575.jpg)
Whistler’s Mother, James McNeill Whistler:
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/vm-4sQdKvxVAEK8ZWHVOVroI0HI=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/75/09/7509b94d-3c01-4505-bed7-99e635b2a1be/whistlers-mom-costume-5751.jpg)
![Whistler’s Mother (Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1), 1871, James McNeill Whistler.](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/ps_o55ANniJgU24Sz8168BiOwp4=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/2d/70/2d701e87-87e7-4654-8b5a-61a9e40d0d54/whistlers-mom-painting-5751.jpg)
Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer:
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/e7htKKfVFPP_sr3gf6w4GdKEPdc=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/63/a0/63a0a325-92e7-4cd2-b415-e13443f87fb3/girl-pearl-earring-costume-575.jpg)
![Girl with a Pearl Earring, 1665, Johannes Vermeer.](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/M1pgzD6FxeYVkDuYuVeKAC59YH0=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/64/65/6465549d-fb1b-42ea-99f8-61476b2dced9/girl-with-a-pearl-earring-painting-575.jpg)
Roy Lichtenstein:
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/WPH4YViFVqOrKWmh5p0y1jfvCJo=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/97/d7/97d7c54d-12ec-49ac-b73c-5ca75a668561/lichtenstein-costume-575.jpg)
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/SIQkNX-jBp1LtuF0VGC4SNN7NC0=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/4b/5c/4b5cbe1b-f95e-4221-bdbb-d50a7df585f8/son-of-man-costume-575.jpg)
Flower Chucker, Banksy:
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/I0Q8LoTaA2ria4ig0CDaaYeX5Jo=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/bf/15/bf156db3-b069-48e9-8f65-2e29ac11aaf8/banksy-costume-575.jpg)
![Incredible Halloween Costumes Inspired by Famous Works of Art](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/5dFXRXnEjPXq_PpXZcG5-4D-zp8=/fit-in/1072x0/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/27/7a/277a79d2-5e63-41b5-8c16-9409849dd855/banksy-flower-chucker-painting-575.jpg)
Ecce Homo, Elias Garcia Martinez:
Post-botched restoration attempt.
![Costume by Reddit user Spinjump](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/nEq9cpckvm1aLE1FYGwOE3PcQzc=/fit-in/1072x0/filters:focal(288x459:289x460)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/ee/67/ee67b945-7da6-4d08-87d1-b25d2d87e587/restored-jesus-costume-575.jpg)
More from Smithsonian.com:
The Witches of Halloween Past
The History of Trick or Treating Is Weirder Than You Thought