50 Times Great Works Of Art Were The Perfect Canvas For The Funniest Memes (New Pics)

When we think ofmemes, we rarely associate them with something sophisticated or intellectual. Yet, such a genre exists: classical art memes. Well, they may not be particularly academic or require you to have a degree in Fine Arts; they’re more of a bridge between the snobbish art world and the Internet spaces brimming with irony.One Instagram page doesclassical art memesexceptionally well, pairing them with witty modern-day captions. The visual part of the memes is the acclaimed works from the masters of art, and the captions are about things that matter to our generation: Tinder, naps, and how many cats are actually too many cats.More info:InstagramThis post may includeaffiliate links.

One Instagram page doesclassical art memesexceptionally well, pairing them with witty modern-day captions. The visual part of the memes is the acclaimed works from the masters of art, and the captions are about things that matter to our generation: Tinder, naps, and how many cats are actually too many cats.

More info:Instagram

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Classic painting meme shows humorous dialogue with religious figures.

Cleopatra meme; historians focus on her looks despite her achievements. Art as a funny meme backdrop.

Great works of art meme with a man and woman on a bench, featuring humorous text exchange.

The classical art memes account we’re covering here has been going strong on Instagram since 2018. Today, it has over 300k ardent followers who like their humor, in the words of the great bard Harry Styles, mixed with a bit of intellect. The goal of the creator is simple: “I put modern day captions on classical paintings to make you laugh,” the page’s bio reads.

Great works of art meme with Plato and Aristotle playing invisible basketball.

Medieval art becomes a meme with a dragon and a naked figure, highlighting humor on framed masterpieces.

Vintage art meme with a person surrounded by six black cats holding torches, captioned about being 40 and single.

The creator of the page told us in a previous interview that they believe the key to the success of this page is its relatability. The captions are all aboutrelationship problems, reflections on today’s politics and religion, and, of course, some meta Internet stuff. “Even though the paintings are hundreds of years old, their expressions and captions make it seem they are one of us,” the creator said.Some say that pages like these make classical art more accessible to younger generations: making it funny, easier to understand, and more relatable. The creator of thememe pagebelieves that tech in general helps make art and art history more accessible. “More and more people have started appreciating art after seeing them on their feeds and then trying to learn more about their backgrounds. Technology has made its interpretation and access inclusive.”

Some say that pages like these make classical art more accessible to younger generations: making it funny, easier to understand, and more relatable. The creator of thememe pagebelieves that tech in general helps make art and art history more accessible. “More and more people have started appreciating art after seeing them on their feeds and then trying to learn more about their backgrounds. Technology has made its interpretation and access inclusive.”

Great works of art meme with a thoughtful woman and humorous caption about happiness and ignorance.

A classic painting depicted as a meme, showing a woman holding a cat with humorous text above, blending art and comedy.

Great work of art meme with a woman lying in bed, pondering her morning plans.

One reason why classical art memes work so well is that they’re captioned with modern-day takes.Classical artmeme creators put two things that seemingly shouldn’t work together, but they do. It’s what makes them funny, actually. It might seem bizarre to draw similarities between meme culture and classical art, but it’s that juxtaposition that makes it so funny.

A woman reading in bed featured in a meme, humorously showcasing art as a perfect canvas for funny commentary.

Great work of art meme with a girl asking an elderly woman about not needing glasses, woman humorously responds about drinking.

A dog pondering in front of a mirror, creating a funny meme based on great works of art.

Somesaythat Marcel Duchamp’s famous “L.H.O.O.Q.” repainting of the Mona Lisa can be considered a sort ofclassical art memeas well. Duchamp repainted Da Vinci’s masterpiece and added a mustache and a goatee on the subject’s face. The piece’s title, “L.H.O.O.Q.“translatesinto a vulgar French saying, “complimenting” the woman’s behind.

Classic art painting humorously defines JOMO, Joy Of Missing Out; woman seated with a content expression.

Great artwork with a humorous meme text about fabric softener, illustrating a funny scene of people around a central figure.

Great works of art meme depicting a humorous conversation between a man and a woman in a classic setting.

Art historians say that we can call Duchamp’s painting a sort of a meme because there’s text on the replicated image, there’s a humorous intention, and it’s Duchamp’s way of critiquing society. It became a symbol of the Dada movement, based on rebelling on everything that art represented.

Classic artwork with a modern meme: a man questions a woman’s relationship status with a grammar correction punchline.

Skeleton meme on art canvas humorously depicts reluctance to let go of an issue.

Great work of art used as a canvas for a funny meme, featuring a contemplative woman in a white dress.

What about those who say that playing with classical art pieces to make memes is equal to desecrating them? Ross Carver-Carter has an answer: “Comical captions make art far more appealing and wide-reaching than they were sequestered away in temples of culture which shrouded works behind indecipherable jargon,” he writes in hisMedium.

Great work of art meme showing a person sleeping peacefully in bed, with humorous text about going to hell in every religion.

Classical painting meme of anxious woman before and after caffeine, showcasing humor in great works of art.

Great work of art used as a hilarious meme about regretting not buying snacks at the supermarket.

In fact, meme-ing classical art has changed how we interact with it. What once seemed unapproachable and locked away in museums and private collections is now something we can alter and play with. “People can take and make meaning in old works and make them their own with no placards to tell them what to think and what to feel,” Carver-Carter wrote.

Medieval artwork used as a canvas for a funny meme about dog walking, with a knight handling a creature.

Two women from a classic art piece exchange a humorous meme about sending a “Get Better Soon” card.

Wizard surrounded by animals in the forest, humorous meme about putting a spider outside.

Aside from memes, is art even more accessible to us today than it was, say, 20 years ago? Some would argue that yes. Some call exhibitions like The Immersive Van Gogh Experience and merchandise like the Dr. Martens x Jean Michel Basquiat a step toward more accessibility. Others call it kitsch, not “real” art.

Classical painting with woman in white dress, humorously captioned for funny art meme.

Art meme with humorous text overlay on a classic painting, featuring playful dialogue about beauty and self-perception.

Great works of art meme with person pondering life, captioned about exploring Earth, space, and life’s meaninglessness.

But the reality is that “real” art is still behind closed doors in museums and galleries and millionaires' private collections. In a way, classical art memes can be an act of rebellion; the context of the artwork itself has little to do with the meme itself.

Great works of art used for a meme about depression being exorcised with humor.

Two women in vintage attire featuring a humorous meme about marriage using a classic work of art as the canvas.

Statue of Perseus with Medusa’s head, captioned humorously about winning an argument, art used as a canvas for memes.

Great work of art humor: Renaissance painting child looking confused with meme text above.

Art meme featuring a devil figure on a sled with kids, humorously captioned about confusing Satan and Santa.

Classic painting humorously captioned about introverts regretting plans during a bad mood; art and funny memes merge.

Man in vintage art stressed over studying, humorously depicting history struggles, with text about future students.

Great work of art meme shows frustrated man after unsuccessful password attempt.

Classic art painting turned into a meme, featuring a man lying in bed with text about reliving life’s mistakes instead of sleeping.

Great work of art with a humorous meme text about the challenge of waking up early for tasks.

Great work of art with meme text: “All pleasures are guilty pleasures if you have a high enough anxiety."

Classical art painting meme with funny Valentine’s Day captions about French options.

Art meme with a worried man being embraced, captioned about uncertainty in kindness; part of funny art meme collection.

Medieval artwork humor meme with a woman and a demon, captioned about sleep paralysis and lateness.

Great work of art meme with a couple sitting at a restaurant table, humorously captioned about Valentine’s Day antics.

Medieval art as meme: two men sawing a third person’s head, captioned with a reference to “the good old days."

Two people in historical attire create a funny meme using great works of art, exchanging humorous dialogue.

Great work of art turned into a funny meme featuring a humorous conversation between two men.