From Royal Portraits to Internet Fame
Joseph Ducreux began as a painter of kings and queens but ended up, centuries later, as an unexpected internet sensation. Born in 1735 in Nancy, France, he earned his reputation painting refined portraits for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Yet the same artist who captured royal elegance also painted himself mid-laughter, smirking, or yawning — images that now live on as memes shared across social media.
A Painter for the French Court
Trained first by his father and later in Paris under Maurice Quentin de La Tour, Ducreux mastered the pastel techniques that defined the Rococo era. His work caught the attention of influential patrons, and in 1769 he was chosen to paint Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria, who would soon become Queen Marie Antoinette.
The portrait was a success, earning him the rare title of First Painter to the Queen. Ducreux was also commissioned to paint King Louis XVI, creating what would become the monarch’s final portrait before his death during the Revolution.
Escape, Return, and Reinvention
When the Revolution erupted, Ducreux left France and lived briefly in London, where he continued to exhibit his art. In 1793 he returned to Paris, reestablishing himself among artists such as Jacques Louis David. Ducreux opened his home as a salon for painters and musicians, a meeting place for creative minds in uncertain times.
It was here that he began experimenting more boldly with self-portraits, moving away from the solemnity of royal portraiture toward something livelier and human.
The Faces That Traveled Centuries
Ducreux was fascinated by physiognomy, the belief that character could be read from facial features. Inspired by that idea, he created expressive self-portraits known as “tronies,” showing himself laughing, yawning, or pointing directly at the viewer.
Works like Le Bâilleur and La Moqueur displayed a range of exaggerated gestures rarely seen in formal art of the 18th century. Critics in his time found the paintings odd, but modern audiences see them as relatable and humorous.
A Timeless Expression
Joseph Ducreux died in 1802 at age sixty-seven, long before his paintings found a new audience. His works now hang in museums such as the Louvre and the Getty.
In the twenty-first century, his self-portraits reappeared online, transformed into viral images that paired his dramatic expressions with modern slang written in mock-archaic English. More than two hundred years after his death, the painter who once amused Parisian salons became one of the most recognizable faces of the digital age.
Joseph Ducreux painted kings but became famous for painting himself making faces.
Born in 1735 in Nancy, he rose as a royal portraitist of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Centuries later, his comical self portraits went viral online as early forms of expressive memes…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/SLzRs099IK
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) November 1, 2025