An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all... feeling is the principle, the beginning and the end; craft, objective, technique - all these are in the middle.
The landscape thinks itself in me and I am its consciousness.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cézanne expresses the deep connection between the artist and the landscape, suggesting that he perceives and embodies the essence of nature through his consciousness.
In this quote, Paul Cézanne reflects on the intrinsic relationship between the artist and the natural world. He suggests that the landscapes he paints are not just objects to be represented, but they resonate with his own being and consciousness. This introspection reveals how an artist interprets their environment, making it a part of their identity and creative expression.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During an art class, a teacher might reference this quote to illustrate the personal connection artists have with their subjects.
More from Paul Cezanne
All quotes →Taste is the best judge. It is rare. Art only addresses itself to an excessively small number of individuals.
Monet is only an eye, but my God, what an eye!
If I were called upon to define briefly the word Art, I should call it the reproduction of what the senses preceive in nature, seen through the veil of the soul.
I lack the magnificent richness of color that animates nature.
Pure drawing is an abstraction. Drawing and colour are not distinct, everything in nature is coloured.
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