Art Quotes

Beauty, expression, and the human need to create. Artists and thinkers on why art matters.

21093 quotes

H
"The art of healing comes from nature and not from the physician."
Hippocrates
X
"The greatest art is the art of living well."
Xenophanes
P
"The artist who creates from the depths of suffering gives birth to immortality."
Pindar
P
"Art is the conversation between the artist's soul and eternity itself."
Pindar
A
"Art expresses what words cannot."
Anaxagoras
A
"Art imitates the order of nature."
Anaxagoras
P
"Words are the instruments through which mortals reach the divine."
Pindar
P
"The greatest art is the art of living well."
Pindar
S
"The greatest art mirrors the human soul without flattery"
Sappho
A
"To create something of value, one must first understand the principles from which it springs."
Anaximenes
A
"To master any art, one must first understand its fundamental principles."
Anaximenes
X
"The greatest art is the art of living well."
Xenophanes
X
"The artist sees what others overlook and makes it visible."
Xenophanes
X
"Art without purpose is beauty without meaning."
Xenophanes
P
"The lyre of Orpheus could not move stones unmoved by truth."
Pindar
P
"The artist's hand is merely the servant of the vision burning within."
Pindar
A
"The mind directs all things toward order and beauty."
Anaxagoras
A
"The universe is a symphony of matter and mind."
Anaxagoras
A
"The artist sees what others overlook and shows them the truth."
Aesop
A
"Art reflects the soul of a people."
Anaximander
A
"Art is the mirror of society."
Anaximander
A
"Comedy is episodic like life itself."
Aristophanes
A
"Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth."
Aristophanes
S
"Golden-haired Sappho, why have you abandoned your lyre?"
Sappho
S
"We daughters of Lesbos are taught to love beauty in all its forms."
Sappho
S
"The gift of song is the gift of immortality; what is sung lives forever."
Sappho
E
"Art requires inspiration and truth requires no embellishment."
Euripides
X
"The poet's words shape the beliefs of the people; therefore, speak with care."
Xenophanes
X
"In art, the imperfections often reveal the greatest truths."
Xenophanes
S
"The hidden harmony is better than the obvious."
Sophocles