The 1st Recorded Sarcastic Clap

Gorgocutie Explains

What are we looking at?

A medieval manuscript illustration or historical depiction of a figure on horseback — juxtaposed against a modern version of the same scene — with the caption: “The 1st recorded sarcastic clap.”

The joke: Sarcasm is timeless. The sarcastic clap (slow, deliberate, mocking applause) feels like a distinctly modern form of passive-aggression. But this meme suggests that even in the Middle Ages, people were already giving each other sarcastic claps. The contrast between the serious, old-fashioned medieval imagery and the petty, hyper-modern gesture of a sarcastic clap is what makes it land.

Why it works as a history meme:

• It taps into the universal experience of receiving (or giving) a sarcastic clap — everyone knows exactly what this looks like
• The anachronism of medieval figures engaging in modern social dynamics is inherently funny
• It subtly reminds us that human nature hasn’t changed much — people were petty and sarcastic 1,000 years ago too

Peak medieval meme energy. Sarcasm: invented in 1137, perfected on Twitter.