A bit of advice, don't copy nature too closely. Art is an abstraction; as you dream amid nature, extrapolate art from it, and concentrate on what you will create as a result.
Paul GauguinRead
But I owe something to Vincent, and that is, in the consciousness of having been useful to him, the confirmation of my own original ideas about painting. And also, at difficult moments, the remembrance that one finds others unhappier than oneself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the value of helping others and how it can confirm our own beliefs and provide perspective during challenging times.
In this quote, Paul Gauguin reflects on his relationship with Vincent van Gogh, expressing that the act of being useful to Vincent not only reinforces Gauguin's own artistic ideas but also serves as a reminder of the shared human experience of suffering. This acknowledgment of another's pain helps contextualize one's own struggles, providing both humility and inspiration.
Themes
HelpfulnessPerspectiveArtSufferingIdeas
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of community service, this quote can highlight the impact of supporting others.
More from Paul Gauguin
All quotes →A critic in my house sees some paintings. Greatly perturbed, he asks for my drawings. My drawings? Never! They are my letters, my secrets.
Paul GauguinRead
A hint - don't paint too much direct from nature. Art is an abstraction! study nature then brood on it and treasure the creation which will result, which is the only way to ascend towards God - to create like our Divine Master.
Paul GauguinRead
Life has no meaning unless one lives it with a will, at least to the limit of one's will. Virtue, good, evil are nothing but words, unless one takes them apart in order to build something with them; they do not win their true meaning until one knows how to apply them.
Paul GauguinRead
The flat sound of my wooden clogs on the cobblestones, deep, hollow and powerful, is the note I seek in my painting.
Paul GauguinRead
Art is either plagiarism or revolution.
Paul GauguinRead
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