Joseph Ducreux - The 18th-Century Portrait Artist Who Became the Original Meme Lord

John Summers • Contributor

Aug 16, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

Before there were LOLcats, before there were reaction GIFs, before the internet (or electricity for that matter) even existed, there was Joseph Ducreux - an 18th-century French portrait artist who somehow, centuries later, became a certified meme legend. Ducreux was known for his unconventional self-portraits, breaking every stiff, stoic rule of the time. Instead of the usual regal poses and serious expressions, he painted himself smirking, yawning, pointing finger guns, and generally looking like he'd just invented sarcasm.

In the late 2000s, the internet rediscovered his work and instantly crowned him the "Original Meme Lord." Suddenly, Ducreux's playful expressions were everywhere, paired with old-timey translations of modern slang ("Disregard females, acquire currency") and used to roast everything from bad takes to pop culture moments.

This listicle celebrates some of his funniest, most expressive portraits - There are only 11 here since he didn't paint too many of these, but they are proof that comedy is timeless and that even in powdered wigs, people knew how to have fun.