QuoteProject
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.
Junichiro Tanizaki
ShareWTF𝕏

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.

More from Junichiro Tanizaki

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

Similar quotes

Vinyl is the real deal. I've always felt like, until you buy the vinyl record, you don't really own the album. And it's not just me or a little pet thing or some kind of retro romantic thing from the past. It is still alive.
Jack WhiteRead
Black and white might be sufficient. But why deprive yourself of color.
Christian DiorRead
A method of painting is a natural growth out of a need. I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.
Jackson PollockRead
In my opinion, trying to guess what readers want is the wrong approach. You have to tell your story as best you can and as true to yourself as possible. You have to be honest and fair and vulnerable and foolish and brave, and not care what anyone thinks of it.
Jeannette WallsRead
...Something we once loved, and love now, in the shape of a book. Maybe eBooks are going to take over, one day, but not until those whizzkids in Silicon Valley invent a way to bend the corners, fold the spine, yellow the pages, add a coffee ring or two and allow the plastic tablet to fall open at a favorite page.
Russell T DaviesRead
While writing 'Half of a Yellow Sun,' I enjoyed playing with minor things: inventing a train station in a town that has none, placing towns closer to each other than they are, changing the chronology of conquered cities. Yet I did not play with the central events of that time.
Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.