Whenever I sit with a bowl of soup before me, listening to the murmur that penetrates like the distant song of an insect, lost in contemplation of the flavours to come, I feel as if I were being drawn into a trance.
Junichiro TanizakiRead
We Orientals find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and darkness which that thing provides.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Beauty is found in both the object and its surrounding elements of light and shadow.
This quote by Junichiro Tanizaki emphasizes that true beauty is not solely inherent in the object itself but also in the interplay of light and shadow that it creates. It suggests an appreciation for the environment and context that enhances aesthetic experience, highlighting the significance of perception and how elements interact to shape our understanding of beauty.
Themes
BeautyArtLightShadowPerception
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in an art discussion to illustrate the importance of context in appreciating artwork.
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