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Since art is a virtue of the intellect, it demands to communicate with the entire universe of the intellect. Hence it is that the normal climate of art is intelligence and knowledge: its normal soil, the civilized heritage of a consistent and integrated system of beliefs and values; its normal horizon , the infinity of human experience enlighted by the passionate insight of anguish or the intellectual virtues of a contemplative mind.
Jacques Maritain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Art represents our intellect and must connect with the broader human experience and knowledge.

Jacques Maritain emphasizes that art is not just a product of creativity but a profound expression of intellect that engages with the entirety of human experience. It thrives in an environment enriched by intelligence, knowledge, and a coherent set of values, allowing artists to communicate deeply with others and reflect the complexities of life through both anguish and contemplation.

Themes

ArtIntellectCommunicationExperienceKnowledge

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of art education in schools.

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The aim of education is to guide young persons in the process _x000D_ through which they shape themselves as human persons-armed with knowledge, strength of judgment, and moral virtues-while at the same time conveying to them the spiritual heritage of the nation and the civilization in which they are involved.
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The poet knows himself only on the condition that things resound in him, and that in him, at a single awakening, they and he come forth together out of sleep.
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