Ancient
memes.

Old artwork becomes a reaction image

The first image in this collection turns a bleak journey through snow into the way grandparents describe getting to school. Heavy clothing and a struggling horse do much of the work. The caption supplies a family story you can recognize without knowing the painting's title.

Here, ancient memes is the archive's label for humor built around older-looking art and historical imagery. The pictures span different settings. The label doesn't establish when a work was made.

A face can carry a modern complaint

A sideways glance in a painting can become irritation at an autocorrect mistake. A solemn pose can read as someone waiting for dinner. These jokes borrow an expression and give it a new situation, leaving the original scene visible underneath.

If that mismatch is what makes you laugh, browse more painting-based jokes. The medieval humor collection stays closer to the costumes and imagery associated with that period.

Look at the background, too

Open these images at full size before moving on. A second face, a small animal or an awkward hand gesture can make the caption funnier. The detail that matters is often far away from the person in the center.