This phenomenon most likely goes back centuries, as the self-appointed arbiters of “good taste” tend to dislike anything too different from established trends. A simple glance at movie and music genres will show that at one time or another, nearly every popular style has been referred to as “not real” cinema or music. Fortunately, this has almost no effect on its popularity.
While attaching little texts to all these images might seem like dumbing them down, it’s important to point out that not all art was taken that seriously even when it was being made. It’s also a great way to introduce people to all sorts of art pieces they would never see unless they frequented museums. And if you want some more exposure to classic art memes, Bored Panda has got you covered, you can find our other collections here, here, and here.
