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The Mona Lisa is considered the most famous painting in the world. But despite this, some people might not know what the original actually looks like. And that’s because there are so many Mona Lisa memes doing the rounds that the real OG could very well be struggling to crack that enigmatic smile.

It’s highly unlikely that Leonardo would have imagined his artwork being converted into every conceivable context and shared widely on this thing we now know as the Gram. But here we are, turning famous masterpieces on their heads – and having the best laughs while at it.

You don’t need to be a classical art lover to enjoy the humor that accompanies these kinds of memes. Many reimagine what the artist was thinking, and put a modern spin on the piece that makes it hilariously highly relatable. There’s an Instagram account called Classiqmemez. It’s clocked up over 14,000 followers, and a lot of the content might crack you up. Keep scrolling for an epic trip through an art gallery of a different kind, and don’t forget to upvote your favorites.

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Image credits: classiqmemez

While you’re scrolling through this list and chuckling away, there’s another person completely horrified that anyone could possibly “vandalise” a classical art piece by turning it into a meme.

They might even argue that doing so devalues the original piece, and makes a mockery of the creative talent that went into it. While at the same time putting expensive artworks into the grubby hands of ordinary plebs, instead of the elite that can afford to buy them.

But that’s the whole beauty of classic art memes, others will argue. They make the art accessible and relatable to the masses, and spark dialogue between people whether or not they’re art buffs.

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Image credits: classiqmemez

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Image credits: classiqmemez

“Despite the fact that these memes make a joke of the classical paintings, it is also important to recognize that there is an educational aspect to the memefication of such art as well; these paintings are made more accessible to a larger group of people,” notes Diggit Magazine.

The art that once was only available to the elite and could only be viewed in museums, is now traveling across the internet, with a different purpose (entertain) and imbued with new literacies (remixed),” Nguyen says. “Today, classical art is available to just about everyone. All you need is a digital device and a sense of humor.”