Famous quotes about art that will inspire the artist in you.

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Famous Quotes About Art

Human beings are unique in their ability to create and appreciate art, and were expressing themselves through cave-paintings even when they were living in dark caves of prehistory. Since then, we have developed various sophisticated forms of art which are able to express anything from abstract ideas and feelings such as love and hate, victory and defeat, or happiness and sorrow to concrete details of grand events like wars or trivial personal affairs. While every individual is different in expressing himself/herself through art, art can also help us identify cultural groups collectively, such as lost civilizations like Egyptians, Incas and Mayans who have all left their marks on the world through their art. However, whether art does/should have a purpose is a controversial topic in itself. Let us take a look at what prominent people have to say about art and how they are inspired by it.

There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face.

There's no art to find the mind's construction in the face.
William Shakespeare

I never studied art, but taught myself to draw by imitating the New Yorker cartoonists of that day, instead of doing my homework.

I never studied art, but taught myself to draw by imitating the New Yorker cartoonists of that day, instead of doing my homework.
Bil Keane

Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.

Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.
Pablo Picasso

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.
Albert Einstein

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
Thomas Merton

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
Pablo Picasso

Education is my next big thing. When music and art were taken out of the schools, I went berserk!

Education is my next big thing. When music and art were taken out of the schools, I went berserk!
Bette Midler

Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.

Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.
Woody Allen

In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.

In your light I learn how to love. In your beauty, how to make poems. You dance inside my chest where no-one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art.
Rumi

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.
Edgar Degas

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.

Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
Jonathan Swift

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
Sun Tzu

Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.

Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.
Oscar Wilde

Art is not a mirror held up to reality
but a hammer with which to shape it.

Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.
Bertolt Brecht

One eye sees, the other feels.
Paul Klee

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seemed filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster

The art of losing isn't hard to master; so many things seemed filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster
Elizabeth Bishop

The first mistake of art is to assume that it's serious.

The first mistake of art is to assume that it's serious.
Lester Bangs

All art is political in the sense that it serves someone's politics.

All art is political in the sense that it serves someone's politics.
August Wilson

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Popular art is the dream of society; it does not examine itself.

Popular art is the dream of society; it does not examine itself.
Margaret Atwood

All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster's autobiography.

All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster's autobiography.
Federico Fellini

Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.

Paradoxically though it may seem, it is none the less true that life imitates art far more than art imitates life.
Oscar Wilde

Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.

Life is pure adventure, and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art.
Maya Angelou

To me the purpose of art is to produce something alive...but with a separate, and of course one hopes, with an everlasting life of its own.

To me the purpose of art is to produce something alive...but with a separate, and of course one hopes, with an everlasting life of its own.
Henry Green

We have art in order not to die of the truth.

We have art in order not to die of the truth.
Friedrich Nietzsche

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.
Aristotle

As an artist your first loyalty is to your art. Unless this is the case, you're going to be a second-rate artist.
Margaret Atwood

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into sun

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into sun
Pablo Picasso

I don't look at our society today too much. My focus is still in the past, and part of the reason is because what I do - the wellspring of art, or what I do - l get from the blues. So I listen to the music of a particular period that I'm working on, and I think inside the music is clues to what is happening with the people.
August Wilson

...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?

...and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?
Vincent van Gogh