Art, History
How an 18th Century Painter Turned Into an Internet Meme
Joseph Ducreux’s unorthodox 18th-century self-portraits make the best classical art memes
Rap music and self-portraits of an 18th-century french painter often do not have much in common. Joseph Ducreux is an exception. His unorthodox self-portraits have become meme-worthy thanks to its ability to be juxtaposed with popular rap lyrics.
Unlike his contemporary peers and predecessors, Ducreux was not interested in constrained self-portraits with minimal expressions and a formal posture. Instead, his self-portrait features a rather unorthodox image of himself yawning, stretching, and often breaking the fourth wall.
In these portraits, he often dressed informally in bright clothes and while exaggerating his pose, he would almost seem to have fun with the audience. These paintings are like performances in which he comes to life, breaks his character, and either becomes a part of the audience’s world or takes the audience into his world.
With his candid expressions, he seems to build trust and take the audience into his psyche. Through these art forms, he reinforced physiognomy — the belief that facial features could be used to depict the personality.
