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I shut my eyes in order to see.
Paul Gauguin
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Shutting one's eyes can lead to deeper insight and creativity.

This quote by Paul Gauguin suggests that by closing our eyes and stepping away from the distractions of the visible world, we may be able to access a deeper level of creativity and understanding. It is a reminder that sometimes we need to look inward to truly see and appreciate the beauty and truth around us.

Themes

CreativityInsightArtImaginationPerception

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about pursuing artistic passion, one might use the quote to emphasize the power of introspection.

More from Paul Gauguin

A bit of advice, don't copy nature too closely. Art is an abstraction; as you dream amid nature, extrapolate art from it, and concentrate on what you will create as a result.
Paul GauguinRead
A critic in my house sees some paintings. Greatly perturbed, he asks for my drawings. My drawings? Never! They are my letters, my secrets.
Paul GauguinRead
A hint - don't paint too much direct from nature. Art is an abstraction! study nature then brood on it and treasure the creation which will result, which is the only way to ascend towards God - to create like our Divine Master.
Paul GauguinRead
Life has no meaning unless one lives it with a will, at least to the limit of one's will. Virtue, good, evil are nothing but words, unless one takes them apart in order to build something with them; they do not win their true meaning until one knows how to apply them.
Paul GauguinRead
The flat sound of my wooden clogs on the cobblestones, deep, hollow and powerful, is the note I seek in my painting.
Paul GauguinRead
Art is either plagiarism or revolution.
Paul GauguinRead

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