Salomon saith, There is no new thing upon the earth. So that as Plato had an imagination, that all knowledge was but remembrance; so Salomon giveth his sentence, that all novelty is but oblivion.
Francis BaconRead
Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence- a reconcentration… tearing away the veils, the attitudes people acquire of their time and earlier time. Really good artists tear down those veils
Interpretation
What this quote means
Great art challenges and transforms our understanding of reality and existence.
Francis Bacon suggests that true artistry involves a deep exploration and reinterpretation of the facts and perceptions that shape our understanding of life. By tearing away the societal veils and attitudes that cloud our perspectives, great artists reveal deeper truths about existence and provoke thought about our place in the world.
Themes
ArtExistenceCreativityTruthPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of creativity, one might say, 'As Francis Bacon wisely noted, great art challenges our perceptions of reality.'
More from Francis Bacon
All quotes →Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
Francis BaconRead
Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.
Francis BaconRead
Wise men make more opportunities than they find.
Francis BaconRead
Knowledge and human power are synonymous.
Francis BaconRead
Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.
Francis BaconRead
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