Corsi: The World’s First Super Model

Documentary Project

Sculptures, friezes, and paintings of international “super” model Antonio Corsi (1868-1924) grace government buildings, museums, and public spaces across Europe and the United States. You know the art; and you know the artists. In fact, he was said to have the most famous face in the world.

Yet, today, little is known about the man behind the figure, even by art experts.

Documentary filmmakers Jake Gorst and Tracey Rennie Gorst have spent years tirelessly researching and piecing together this remarkable man’s life and career. What they found ties together seemingly unrelated pieces of renowned art via a single figure.

What was it like to be a super model at the turn of the 20th century? Who was this man? What kind of life did he have?

Answering these questions, you’ll hear the words of John Singer Sargent and Norman Rockwell who both wrote admiringly and vividly of the model and the man who turned out to be gratifyingly idiosyncratic and flamboyant. You’ll share the journey documentarian- sleuths Jake and Tracey Gorst as they crisscrossed the country and traveled abroad to uncover mosaic tile after mosaic tile to flesh out

a portrait of Corsi. Famous art is revisited through the lens of this popular artist model, bringing fresh angles to familiar works. Cutting edge film technology brings images and film to surprising life, further lifted by Gorst’s dramatic flair for story telling.

  • The life story of an artist model from the turn of the 20th century

  • Uniquely connects many international art works through the lens

    of a common model

  • Posed for paintings and sculptures seen but unknown by millions

    of people to this day

  • Corsi also worked as a film actor in Los Angeles during the last

    decade of his life

  • Artists who captured Corsi’s image include: Edwin Austin Abbey,

    Edwin Blashfield, Edward Burne Jones, James Earle Fraser,

    Princess Louise, and John Singer Sargent

  • Voiceover artists include: Ed Asner, Federico Castelluccio, Hillary

    Danner, Troy Evans, Chris Lemmon, Christian Nesmith, Eric

    Roberts, and Sean Young

  • Interviewees include: Charles Fisher, Zhenya Gershman, Lucinda

    Hawksley, Debbie Millman, Rano Pisano, Mitchell Owens, Mark

    Snyder, Paul Wee, and Meghan Weeks

  • Fascinating reenactments enabled by advanced film technology

  • A lifelike pre-film Antonio Corsi animates the screen thanks to

    artificial intelligence (AI) visual effects

  • A companion book is also being prepared

  • Remaining funding needed: $380k