# Samuel Johnson Reading Samuel Johnson Reading is a reaction image built from a 1775 painting of the English writer squinting at a rolled up book with a baffled look. It took off in the early 2010s as the visual for 'Dafuq Did I Just Read?' style jokes and is still used whenever someone wants to react to confusing internet content. ## Overview Samuel Johnson Reading, also called Man Looking At Book, is a reaction image based on a 1775 oil painting of the English lexicographer Samuel Johnson squinting at a rolled up book with a mildly disgusted look on his face[3]. The pose translates cleanly to internet reaction culture because the expression reads instantly, no context needed. The image sits alongside 'What the Fuck Am I Reading?' and 'Dafuq Did I Just Read?' as one of the classical art reaction formats[3]. Users drop it under baffling tweets, dense lore dumps, incoherent comments, or news headlines that seem too strange to be real. ## How It Spread Over the following years the painting circulated as a general purpose 'what am I reading' reaction, edited into different situations and pasted into forum threads[3]. On September 18, 2017, Google put the exact painting front and center with an animated Google Doodle marking Samuel Johnson's 308th birthday, pushing the image in front of a much larger audience[1]. The reaction use kept moving to newer platforms. On September 20, 2020, X user @extra_vertebrae used the painting to react to learning about Space Marine anatomy from Warhammer 40K, and the tweet picked up roughly 76 likes[2]. On October 22, 2023, Redditor IllustriousDudeIDK posted a history swap variant on r/HistoryMemes casting Johnson himself as reacting to the American Revolutionary War, which pulled in more than 4,900 upvotes and 140 comments[5]. ## How to Use People typically crop the painting tight on Johnson's face and pair it with a screenshot, quote, or caption of the confusing thing they just read. Common convention is to keep the caption short so the joke lands on the face, which already looks like an 18th century version of a modern bewildered stare. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Samuel Johnson Reading? It is a reaction image based on a 1775 painting of English writer Samuel Johnson squinting at a rolled up book, used to react to confusing or bewildering content[3]. ### Where did Samuel Johnson Reading come from? The earliest known post is from March 17, 2012, by FunnyJunk user mugglemasher, who paired the painting with the caption 'Dafuq did I just read?'[4]. ### What does Samuel Johnson Reading mean? The image expresses confusion, disgust, or bewilderment at something the poster just read, from tweets and comments to news articles and fictional lore[3]. ### How do you use Samuel Johnson Reading? People typically post the cropped painting under a baffling screenshot or quote, letting the confused face carry the reaction[3]. ### Is Samuel Johnson Reading still popular? Yes, it is still used as a classic reaction format, with variants like the 2023 r/HistoryMemes post about Johnson and the Revolutionary War reaching over 4,900 upvotes[5]. ## References 1. [https://doodles.google/doodle/samuel-johnsons-308th-birthday/]() 2. [https://twitter.com/extra_vertebrae]() 3. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/samuel-johnson-reading]() 4. [https://funnyjunk.com]() 5. [https://www.reddit.com/r/HistoryMemes/]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/samuel-johnson-reading Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library