An Explanation of Medieval Art Memes

The Archivist at Curious Archive digs into the origins of some of the oddest art images from the Medieval era that have since become popular as modern memes. He notes that while a number of pieces reflected such trends as “homunculus” (“little man”), the “Danse Macabre” (“Dance of Death”), and “The Vitalis of Milan”, many others were created with a sense of humor, perhaps to make their audience laugh.

A lot of art from the Middle Ages is so bizarre, it seems… beyond explanation. Which is why it’s no surprise that these seemingly nonsensical images have become popular sources of memes in recent years. It’s hard not to look at some images and ask yourself… wait, what is going on here?

via Miss Cellania