I hope to live all my life for my art, without abandoning my principles one iota.

When I am no longer controversial, I will no longer be important

I have never seen either angels or goddesses, so I am not interested in painting them.

Painting is the representation of visible forms. The essence of realism is its negation of the ideal.

Fine art is knowledge made visible.

I am fifty years old and I have always lived in freedom; let me end my life free; when I am dead let this be said of me: 'He belonged to no school, to no church, to no institution, to no academy, least of all to any regime except the regime of liberty.'