To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist.
You write to become immortal, or because the piano happens to be open, or you've looked into a pair of beautiful eyes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the various inspirations for creating art, suggesting that it can stem from deep desires for immortality, fleeting moments, or beauty encountered in life.
Robert Schumann's quote reflects the motivations behind artistic expression. It suggests that artists may pursue their craft not only to achieve a sense of lasting legacy but also because of spontaneous moments of inspiration that prompt them to create, such as the allure of beauty, be it through sight or sound. This highlights the emotional connections and varied impulses that fuel creativity in the arts.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at an art gallery opening, one might say this quote to inspire aspiring artists about their motivations.
More from Robert Schumann
All quotes βIt was an unforgettable picture to see Chopin sitting at the piano like a clairvoyant, lost in his dreams; to see how his vision communicated itself through his playing, and how, at the end of each piece, he had the sad habit of running one finger over the length of the plaintive keyboard, as though to tear himself forcibly away from his dream.
I am so fresh in soul and spirit that life gushes and bubbles around me in a thousand springs.
Think it a vile habit to alter works of good composers, to omit parts of them, or to insert new-fashioned ornaments. This is the greatest insult you can offer to Art.
Endeavour to play easy pieces well and with elegance; that is better than to play difficult pieces badly.
For me, music is always the language which permits one to converse with the Beyond.
Similar quotes
Little by little, I've reached the stage of using only a small number of forms and colors. It's not the first time that painting has been done with a very narrow range of colors. The frescoes of the tenth century are painted like this. For me, they are magnificent things.
I am trying to counter the fixity of architectures, their stolidity, with elements that give an ineffable immaterial quality.
For me, writing a song, I sit down and the process doesn't really involve me thinking about the demographic of people I'm trying to hit or who I want to be able to relate to the song or what genre of music it falls under.
Finally, everything that has been part of my life, whether I wanted it to or not, has expressed itself in my dresses.
If you set out to write an adjective novel, you're setting out to write a mediocre novel; your allegiance is to the adjective, not to the story, and then that just sucks all the joy right out of it.
Everybody has the same energy potential. The average person wastes his in a dozen little ways. I bring mine to bear on one thing only: my paintings, and everything else is sacrificed to it...myself included.