Nicki Minaj is a master at taking on different personas. We’ve seen her in just about everything. Just when I thought the female rapper couldn’t surprise me, she does. Minaj gets historical on us and transforms into an 18th century courtesan. It’s an ultra-feminine and soft look the hip hop artist hasn’t graced us with yet. Appropriately enough, the transformation was for W Magazine’s Art & Fashion issue. Nicki is front and center on their November 2011 issue. Photographer Francesco Vezzoli was the creative force behind the photo shoot. Here’s the reason why he chose Minaj as his subject:

“I wanted to play with the public image of a female hip-hop star. During my entire career, I have always been fascinated by powerful women in history. I have spent a lot of time researching the ways they were represented in art and how their images were used to mold the public imagination – and to convey aesthetic and philosophical ideas about beauty and sexual desire. My main interest has been to link the historical artistic approach to female representation to contemporary icons of the media era,”

Inside the magazine, Vezzoli and stylist Edward Enninful outfitted Minaj to take on the following famous French women- Marquise de ­Montespan, Comtesse du Barry, Madame de Pompadour, and ­Madame Rimsky-­Korsakov. Using clothing by Dior Haute Couture and Vera Wang, to mention a couple of designers, Minaj goes back in time and gives these famous courtesans a high-fashion editorial edge. Check out the breathtaking artistic photos below. Truly stunning.

Nicki Minaj as Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry

Nicki Minaj as Françoise Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan

Nicki Minaj as Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour

Nicki Minaj as Madame Barbe de Rimsky-Korsakov

How amazing are those photos? Which one is your favorite? Mine is the last one where she’s wearing the white dress. She looks so beautiful. Who knew Minaj could look so soft. To find out what Nicki Minaj is wearing in each portrait, head over to www.wmagazine.com for product details.

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