A new series of eye-opening portraits depicts the age-old disparity in food consumption between the rich and poor as it holds fast throughout history.
Power Hungry is a collaboration between photographer Henry Hargreaves and food stylist Cailin Levin, and compares meals enjoyed by the top one percent under 'authoritarian regimes throughout history' with the meager daily dishes consumed by the lower classes.
'Tremendous imbalances are found in places both far away and closer to home,' Mr Hargreaves noted, having photographed staged table-tops from Ancient Egypt and Rome to current-day food eaten in North Korea, Syria and the U.S.
The contrasting food plates were photographed on opposite ends of the same table.
'It became clear how authoritarian regimes throughout history have used food as a weapon, systematically oppressing, silencing, and killing people through starvation,' Mr Hargreaves remarks.
Take a look at the photos and tell us what you think.
Modern America: In the United States, while the “food gap” may be less pronounced, one in six of the population live beneath the poverty line according to the latest Census data. Pictured (right) fine food for the wealthy and (left) cheap, unhealthy fare for the poorer population.
Glutton: As for the ancient Romans, the top one per cent of this historical period are still renowned for their gloriously over-indulgent feasts (right). The everyday Roman man, on the other hand, would have been more accustomed to a diet mostly of millet (left).
Early civilization: Ancient Egyptian rulers and monarchs would also have enjoyed a much richer variety of foods (right), whereas poor members of society had to make do with simple bread and vegetables (left)
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