Very often, adding a short piece of text to a single picture results in a complete change of the context of what we’re looking at. This is especially amusing when observing captured activities, emotions, or interactions between subjects in the image. Adding a funny comment in this way may alter the original meaning and give it a hilarious twist.
The subreddit 'Trippin Through Time' features an impressive collection of classical art turned into memes, shared by its community. The fact that all of them are inspired by original paintings makes them even funnier and proves that even images from hundreds of years ago, with a bit of context, can turn out to be very current and relatable to many of us.
Scroll down to see the list of the recent memes from the subreddit and to read our interview with Matthew Ponesse, Professor of History at Ohio Dominican University.
#1 Not Again
Image credits: thiccgogy
#2 Thats A Valid Question
Image credits: Caricsy
#3 Escape Room
Image credits: Kzero01
Bored Panda reached out to Matthew Ponesse, Professor of History at Ohio Dominican University. According to his faculty profile, he earned his Bachelor's degree with majors in history and philosophy at the University of Toronto. Subsequently, he pursued graduate work at the University of Toronto's Centre for Medieval Studies, obtaining his M.A. and Ph.D. in the field of Medieval Studies.
In addition to his academic work, Ponesse is also the author of humorous content on his Instagram profile, 'Medievalist Matt.' This account is dedicated to sharing memes inspired by art, pop culture, and history. Hence, we wanted to discuss the role of classical art in creating relatable memes that reference images from distant times.
#4 The Last Straw
Image credits: Kzero01
#5 Back From Maternity Leave
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#6 Displaced Aggression
Image credits: feelingood41
Eager to discover more about the inspiration behind Matthew’s work, we asked how his background in art influenced his approach to meme creation. The Professor of History shared with us: “My background as a medieval historian has most greatly influenced my approach to meme creation. Much of the art produced during the Middle Ages developed in a very specific historical context. When brought into the modern world, these images appear bizarre and outlandish. It's this disconnect between the medieval and modern world that I think people find humorous.”
#7 A Worthwhile Outing
Image credits: Lily-Gordon
#8 Well, If You Insist.
Image credits: Brassballs1976
#9 Bless You, And Bless Me
Image credits: Murba
Asked if there are any specific art movements or artists from the classical era that Ponesse particularly enjoys working with, he answered: “I particularly enjoy working with medieval marginalia, the illustrations often found in the borders of medieval manuscripts. While the text of most medieval manuscripts concerns serious topics, the margins are where artists and illustrators were allowed to experiment and create. Many people assume that life in the Middle Ages was serious and bleak, but medieval art reveals a world that was also bright, imaginative, and full of laughter.”
#10 Perhaps.
Image credits: private_spectacle
#11 I'll Brb Guys
Image credits: feelingood41
#12 Got Any Plans This Weekend?
Image credits: xyzerb
Lastly, we were wondering if the professor from Ohio encountered any unexpected responses related to the content shared on the Medievalist Matt profile. He shared that: “I'm most surprised at how many people relate to my memes. I'd describe my memes as very niche, and first thought that they'd only appeal to art historians and students of ancient and medieval history. But I'm often contacted by people who tell me that they share my memes with their colleagues in healthcare, business, and a variety of other professions. While many of these people remember their history classes as being dull and boring, they clearly have a fascination with the past and enjoy historical content.”
#13 George Would Soon Find Out That Anne Was Reaching For Ctrl+alt+del
Image credits: GonWithTheNen
#14 Laundry Day
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#15 Can’t Lose If You Ain’t Playing The Game
Image credits: Scaulbylausis
#16 Real Planets Have Curves
Image credits: xyzerb
#17 Post-Coital Diss
Image credits: -badly_packed_kebab-
#18 Relationship Advice
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#19 You What?
Image credits: Elrivee
#20 Pronouncing It Wrong Because I Only Read It In A Book
Image credits: jolieflamme
#21 /U/Spez Right Now
Image credits: St0pX
#22 The Nightmare
Image credits: Fluid_Ad3542
#23 Girl, He's Not Worth It
Image credits: nick9000
#24 Meirl
Image credits: -badly_packed_kebab-
#25 Why Do People Do This?
Image credits: reddit.com
#26 Meirl
Image credits: -badly_packed_kebab-
#27 We Are Not The Same
Image credits: milarra
#28 Angels
Image credits: Tokyono
#29 You Can Almost Smell Him
Image credits: mistermajik2000
#30 That Special “Out Of Touch” Feeling
Image credits: mistermajik2000
