21 Classical Art Memes to Paint You a Portrait of Funnies Today (January 13, 2026)

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Jan 13, 2026 6:00 PM EST

If you really think about it, everything is a work of art.

You, me, your mom's brother's second cousin, your dog's paw print, your breath in the cold weather, a snowflake floating down a quiet winter sky. Everything is art. Yep. Even memes.

We're, of course, advocates for the idea that memes should be considered an art form. They are a sociological framework that only exists in the century and has only existed for less than three decades. Memes are a case study of the world around us. The culture, the innermost thoughts of entire generations. They impact what music people listen to, how we portray ourselves online, and whether or not we're going in the direction of optimism or cynicism. They dictate most of what's around us, which is why they're so interesting. You know, aside from the fact that they exist for our entertainment.

If you're not convinced, maybe classical art memes will be a great entrance into this thought process. The paintings featured in classical art memes are all paintings that existed waaaay back when. Like, a pretty long time ago. Despite the time jump from then to now, there are too many parallels and similarities between what the art suggests. The human condition, that innate structure of human life, is the blueprint for all media that is created by a human (obviously). If a human is creating a painting and a human is creating a meme… think about it.

The art from then and now both uncannily mimic each other, solely because there are some things about humanity that never change. Our feelings, the way we react to stimuli, and the cyclical nature of historical milestones. All of this is something shared between those whose portraits are painted in centuries past and those who create memes in the present day. Everything is art in the same way that everything human-made is intrinsically human. Wow, that's a lot to swallow.

Instead of me philosophizing at you for another paragraph, consider scrolling below to keep this think piece rolling. You might even get a few laughs out of it, too. 

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classical art history relatable memes Memes
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