In ancient culture, painters expressed their view of the world in oil paintings. Some paintings from ancient times contain outrageous criticism in form of irony or hidden messages only insiders understood. Even music compositions or unsayable (for the ancient time) secrets can be read out of these paintings. For insiders, these allusions were part of their culture: Knowing and understanding something others cannot see or understand.

The internet culture created the internet meme as a "standard" to express feelings, opinions or just make fun of something in a way every insider understands. These widely used, spread and changed images and/or animated gifs are, in some countries, a way to express critics or to identify members as insiders and trustees.

The Old Master Memes combine the old with the new and makes insiders to collectors.