We’ve seen them all of historic figures like Marie Antoinette, king Henry VIII, queen Elizabeth I, etc. But why is it they all have been painted to look exaggerated in their features giving them almost an unattractive look when some of them have been known as being very beautiful
Its all about changing perceptions of attractiveness.
What one culture or time finds attractive is not necessarily what will be found attractive by another culture or at another time. As an Englishman, I find a lot of the women who are regarded as attractive in the US as distinctly unattractive to me. I am sure it also the case that the most attractive beauty queen in China would not have the same following in the US.
These differences are geographical but it also works over time.
Standards of beauty in the time of Marie Antoinette, Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, were very different to how they are today. The portraits of these people emphasised the beauty as would be appreciated at the time - but not necessarily as it would be today.
I'm pretty sure that if Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt were to be transported back to the C16th they would be regarded as pretty nondescript by the standards then.