Time flies when you’re pondering the existence of humans since the beginning of time, but in a funny and more intellectual way than everyone else. You know what I mean? The history of human existence, especially in the arts and humanities, is literally recorded by the visual artists and writers of present and past centuries. Isn’t that kind of crazy? As individuals, we have our own lives to know and understand, but we also have lives from hundreds of years ago to worry about, too! Thanks a lot, Rembrandt. 

Classical art memes are the epitome of sophistication when you think about it. Some of them rely on your knowledge of history to truly make sense and be as comedic as possible. Others, however (which are likely catered toward the intellectual plebeians of the world, such as myself) are easier to understand. Why? The classical paintings are basically reaction photos, kind of like the ones our parents are obsessed with sending us out of context. If you’re feeling especially sophisticated and better than everyone else today, step into the meme gallery below.