50 Classical Art Memes That Prove People Haven’t Changed In 500 Years

Some argue that making classical art meme-worthy devalues it, and amounts to nothing more than vandalism. Others believe it makes the art more accessible.

"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," writes Ross Carter-Carver, who believes that historical and technical placards in museums change our perception of art in the same way a meme does.

"The only difference is one alienates and the other engages a young audience," he says.

Modern art tends to be much more open-ended than the historical masterpieces once were.

"It was commissioned for political and religious purposes and had a concrete aim. Whilst the artist could express character he did it within the confines of a brief," explains Carter-Carver.

He adds that those creating art memes, or adding captions, aren't trying to tease meaning that was ever intended. But rather, they confer a meaning by manipulating art pieces.

"That is their power," Carter-Carver writes. "They are not a misunderstanding but a deliberate alteration."

Art writer Francesca Testa agrees. She says, for her personally, classical art memes offered a gateway to learning more about art history, understanding the artists' logic, and the meaning behind each painting.

"After much exposure to these memes, I felt compelled to find the answer to the question, why are they like these anyway?' After so much research and attempt to understand art history, it's safe to say that what these memes brought is no depreciation," Testa wrote.

Testa goes on to say that yes, medieval and renaissance art is indeed considered priceless today... "But just because they've been used as tools in injecting humor to the tragic every-day lives of angsty millennials or trivial adventures of a young individual doesn't mean they devalue the art pieces used."

These memes simply start a conversation that transcends time, she argues.

Obviously, the memes and captions are not a true interpretation of the original artworks. But that's not to say there aren't stories or hidden messages in the historical paintings.

"In Renaissance painting right up through Baroque, artists continued to include subtle hints in their artwork, evoking further dimensions of narrative and emotion," explains 1st-art-gallery.com. "These visual puzzles were not simply for decoration; they conveyed political beliefs, religious principles, or personal feelings that could not be stated publicly."

According to the site, some common symbols include skulls, which are a reminder of immortality. They're typically set in portraits as memento mori, notes 1st Art Gallery.

Lilies represent the Virgin Mary and purity, while dogs show loyalty or fidelity, particularly in wedding portraits. The gallery's experts say that mirrors are a sign of vanity or self-reflection, and sometimes represent illusion or truth.

"These repeated motifs created a visual vocabulary that was interpretable by educated audiences of this period," the site adds.

The online gallery's experts say that understanding symbolism in classical art is not a process of puzzle-solving but of restoring the artist's original meaning and emotional impact. "When open criticism or profound theologizing had to be veiled, works of art provided a secure means of communication on more than one plane," they argue.

They believe that regardless of how many art memes do the rounds, the original symbols hidden in paintings still matter.

"Knowing these symbols enables us to appreciate the art of earlier centuries more profoundly, making us one with the intellectual, religious, and cultural forces of centuries ago."