Face of history’s ‘Cruelest Man’ revealed 440 years later
Scientists have now used his skull to rebuild his face, giving us a better idea of how he genuinely appeared and how icy his stare was.
Due to the efforts of a Brazilian Graphic Designer, Cicero Moraes, the visage of the ‘Cruelest Man to Ever Live,’ Ivan the Terrible, a Russian despot who ruled the land back in the 16th Century with an iron fist, was revealed after 440 years by digitally recreating the look.
It has long been known that kings and rulers are brutal, murderous, and capable of crimes. Ivan the Terrible, the first emperor of Russia, changed and grew his realm during his reign. It is even said that, after confronting him for striking the prince’s pregnant wife, which caused her to miscarry, he beat his son to death. But the real Tsar’s visage was lost to history, and his likeness is being recreated through facial reconstruction.
The Infamous Savagery of the Cruelest Man
Ivan the Terrib;e is infamous, nonetheless, for his savagery and the inhumane ways in which he subjected his victims—boiling them alive, roasting and impaling them, tearing them apart with horses, and drowning them in ice. Scientists have now used his skull to rebuild his face, giving us a better idea of how he genuinely appeared and how icy his stare was. Because of his work, Moraes has become well-known in historical and scientific communities.
Through the use of historical records and facial forensics, the artist has managed to “revive” not only the visage of the autocrat from Russia but also the faces of Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III and the “Gilded Lady,” a remarkably well-preserved mummy who lived 1,500 years ago.
The final product of Moraes’ most recent painting depicts an elderly Ivan with ice-blue eyes a long, gray beard, and receding hair, suggesting a severe attitude. A face that may have been robust and attractive in his youth now bears the scars of a violent, mistrustful, and hateful existence. Scientist Mikhail Gerasimov of the Soviet Union discovered the tsar’s tomb in 1963.
The designer made use of crucial data from Russian archaeologist Mikhail Gerasimov’s scientific studies, who took part in Ivan’s burial excavation. An additional degree of authenticity was added by Moraes’ ability to transpose the effects of what he called “a disorderly life of excessive eating and alcohol abuse” into his performance.
The work’s lead author Cicero Moraes said, “According to Dr Gerasimov’s study, it appears that Ivan indulged in a disorderly life of excessive eating and alcohol abuse.”
“This must have worsened his condition in his last years. This is in contrast to the appearance he had when younger when he was described as tall, with beautiful hair, broad shoulders, strong muscles, and a pleasant face,” he added.
The final face was reconstructed by using many procedures. One approach made use of information from live donors to estimate the tsar’s expected skin thickness on his head. Anatomical deformation was another method used, which involved digitally altering a live donor’s face and skull until they resembled Ivan the Terrible’s proportions.
“An interesting fact is that they found a large amount of mercury in his body, which made some suspect poisoning. But given the habits of the time, it may have been used as a treatment for some health problem,” Moraes further added.
“The final bust was a combination of all this data,” added Moraes. He said it has a “strong and determined” likeness. “It was a very interesting experience, as it involved not only facial approximation, but the study of the tsar’s history,” Moraes added.
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