Met Gala 2018 Religious References: Must-See Photos & Tweets

Celebrities showed up and showed out at last night’s Met Gala. The theme was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” and most celebrities actually followed it. Not all celebrities just adorned crosses, mostly just Jennifer Lopez. Celebs and fashion It girls actually pulled inspiration from real biblical images and motifs.

Tabloid Art History, a popular Twitter account that is a goldmine of fashion art history references, expertly interpreted where every celebrity pulled inspiration from.

Lana Del Rey – Immaculate Heart Of The Virgin Mary

‘Virgen de Dolorosa’, depiction of the ‘seven swords’ Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, representing her Seven Sorrows, (artist unknown) // Lana Del Rey at the 2018 Met Gala. pic.twitter.com/ixgxqwuiCz

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 7, 2018

Del Rey’s pierced heart was not only totally on brand for her, but also on theme. It’s direct inspiration from the seven swords piercing the Virgin Mary’s heart.

Rihanna – The Pope

Mosaic depicting Pope Clement VIII wearing a papal tiara. // Rihanna wears a mitre to the 2018 Met Gala. pic.twitter.com/uLZNy597N0

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

Did you expect anything less from Rihanna? She showed up in a mitre, a traditional hat that the Pope wears.

Janelle Monae – The Virgin Of Deliverance

Janelle Monáe, Met Gala, 2018. // Detail from ‘The Virgin of Deliverance’, by Antoine-Auguste-Ernest Hébert, c. 1872-86. pic.twitter.com/bNofHMCGen

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

Tabloid Art History inferred that Monae pulled inspiration from Antoine-August-Ernest Hébert’s painting, “The Virgin of Deliverance.” The gold halo and hair covering are spot on.

SZA – Weeping Madonna

She ever did the tears! Not just a Madonna, but a Weeping Madonna!

Our Lady SZA, Met Gala 2018 // Image of the Weeping Madonna on a Moshino t-shirt pic.twitter.com/Y6dG5YA2P3

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 7, 2018

SZA even had gold tears painted on her cheek.

Cardi B – Pregnant Virgin Mary

A resplendent Cardi B at the 2018 Met Gala. // Detail from a portrait of the pregnant Virgin Mary by Efrain Zanabria. pic.twitter.com/EL2wUMm4xQ

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

Cardi is looking holier than ever in all white.

Anna Wintour & Bee Shafer – Pope and Cardinal

Nicki Minaj, dressed as cardinal and accompanied by a Pope, walks the 2012 Grammy’s Red Carpet // Anna Wintour and daughter Bee Shaffer arrive at the 2018 Met Gala. pic.twitter.com/0dFMN4pPOM

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 7, 2018

Wintour and her daughter Shafer arrived first to the Met Gala looking like the Pope and a Cardinal. It’s doubtful they pulled direct inspiration from Nicki Minaj on the 2012 Grammy’s red carpet, but you can see the similarities.

Zendaya – Joan Of Arc

Albert Lynch, ‘Jeanne D’Arc’, c. 1903 // Zendaya at The Met Ball, c.2018 pic.twitter.com/ooUWbcaMJV

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

Someone get her a flaming sword. Zendaya killed this interpretation of Joan of Arc down to the haircut.

Katy Perry – Icarus

‘The Lament for Icarus’ by Herbert James Draper, 1898. // Katy Perry at the Met Gala, 2018. pic.twitter.com/E0CljiIEut

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

When Perry kneeled on the Met steps there is no denying she looks similar to this painting of Icarus.

Kim Kardashian – Versace

Dress from Versace’s Fall collection, modelled by Naomi Campbell, 1997. // Kim Kardashian wears Versace to the 2018 Met Gala. pic.twitter.com/E5Iyka4ES3

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 8, 2018

Kardashian pulled inspiration from Versace’s 1997 Fall collection. Kardashian has recently been very into throwback fashion, basing lots of her inspiration off of classic Cher looks and her controversial Bo Derek braids.

Amanda Seyfried – Helen Of Troy

Amanda Seyfried wearing a custom Prada gown, The Met Gala c. 2018 // Dante Gabriel Rossetti, ‘Helen of Troy,’ c.1863 pic.twitter.com/rfmJfLlPbQ

— TabloidArtHistory (@TabloidArtHist) May 7, 2018

Seyfried looked like Helen of Troy’s glamourous twins.