Google App Goes Viral Making An Art Out Of Matching Faces To Paintings

"Who can say why some gimmicks take off and others flop? But the Google Arts & Culture app tapped into the zeitgeist over the weekend, until it seemed like just about everyone with access to a camera phone and a social media account was seeking and sharing their famous painting doppelganger."

"Forget the fact that Google launched the app and online page in 2016, allowing users to browse a trove of artwork sourced from hundreds of museums worldwide. It was the portrait feature included in last month's update that has spun the selfies into overdrive."

"The metric site App Annie said Google Arts & Culture was the No. 1 free app over the weekend. And by Monday, it was still holding on to the spot."

"Perhaps users can't resist the vain pleasure of seeing and showcasing their own visages reflected back in a famous work of art."