Quotes about Art

What the artist is always looking for is the mode of existence in which soul and body are one and indivisible: in which the outward is expressive of the inward: in which form reveals.

Ordinary people waited till life disclosed to them its secrets, but to the few, to the elect, the mysteries of life were revealed before the veil was drawn away. Sometimes this was the effect of art, and chiefly of the art of literature, which dealt immediately with the passions and the intellect.

She has form, he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove - that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that arts are selfish. Still, it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good.

The world is made by the singer for the dreamer.

Would you like to know the great drama of my life? It is that I have put my genius into my life...I have put only my talent into my works.

The work of art is to dominate the spectator: the spectator is not to dominate the work of art.

Writing is very subconscious and the last thing I want to do is think about it.

He had a tattoo of a bird on his neck done by someone with an ill-formed notion of their appearance.

What seems inconsequential to us by reason of usage is in fact the founding notion of civilization. Language, art, mathematics, everything. Ultimately the world itself and all in it.

All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain.

Art-speech is the only truth.

Your very flesh shall be a great poem...