My art flatters nobody by imitation; it courts nobody by smoothness, tickles nobody by petiteness... there is no finish in nature.
John ConstableRead
The landscape painter must walk in the fields with a humble mind. No arrogant man was ever permitted to see Nature in all her beauty.
Interpretation
What this quote means
To truly appreciate nature's beauty, one must approach it with humility and openness.
This quote by John Constable emphasizes the importance of humility in understanding and appreciating the beauty of nature. It suggests that an arrogant mindset can blind individuals to the wonders around them, and only those who are humble and willing to learn can fully grasp the depth of nature's beauty, particularly in the context of painting and artistic representation.
Themes
NatureHumilityArtBeautyAppreciation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared in a discussion about the importance of a humble approach in art classes.
More from John Constable
All quotes βWhatever may be thought of my art, it is my own; and I would rather possess a freehold, though but a cottage, than live in a palace belonging to another.
John ConstableRead
Painting is a science, and should be pursued as an inquiry into the laws of nature.
John ConstableRead
Painting is but another word for feeling.
John ConstableRead
It is the soul that sees; the outward eyes _x000D_ Present the object, but the Mind descries. _x000D_ We see nothing till we truly understand it.
John ConstableRead
When I sit down to make a sketch from nature, the first thing I try to do is to forget that I have ever seen a picture.
John ConstableRead
Similar quotes
I'm not one who divides music, dance or art into various categories. Either something works, or it doesn't.
Twyla TharpRead
And then he danced,-all foreigners excel the serious Angels in the eloquence of pantomime;-he danced, I say, right well, with emphasis, and a'so with good sense-a thing in footing indispensable: he danced without theatrical pretence, not like a ballet-master in the van of his drill'd nymphs, but like a gentleman.
Lord ByronRead
With 'Stardust', I hope what I was doing is giving 30-year-olds and 40-year-olds and 25-year-olds and 60-year-olds a chance to get the same sense of wonder, the same feeling, the same magic, that they got in reading the classic fairy tales as children.
Neil GaimanRead
You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It's a way of life. Without it, you're nobody.
Diana VreelandRead
Architect's designs must refer to the unquestionable perfection of the body's symmetry and proportions. If a building is to create a sense of eurythmia, it is essential that it mirrors these natural laws of harmony and beauty
Marcus Vitruvius PollioRead
I paint mostly from real life. It has to start with that. Real people, real street scenes, behind the curtain scenes, live models, paintings, photographs, staged setups, architecture, grids, graphic design. Whatever it takes to make it work.
Bob DylanRead