Pablo Picasso? Vincent van Gogh? Fred Beerstein? Question for Quote Investigator: You have the following inspirational saying on the website: Only one who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible. The above remark reminded me of a statement that has been attributed to two very different painters: Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh: …
Category Archives: Pablo Picasso
Quote Origin: When Painters Get Together They Talk About Where You Can Buy the Best Turpentine
Pablo Picasso? Jean Renoir? Garson Kanin? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Critics discuss abstruse theories of creativity and engage in esoteric scrutiny of aesthetics while artists are primarily concerned with the practical. Admittedly, this is an oversimplification. Here is a statement that makes a similar point: When art critics get together they talk about form …
Quote Origin: I Am Only a Public Entertainer Who Has Understood His Times
Pablo Picasso? Giovanni Papini? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Pablo Picasso reportedly admitted in a “Confession” that he did not consider himself a great artist; instead, he was an entertainer who shocked and amused the rich and indolent to gain fame and wealth. Did Picasso really say this? Reply from Quote Investigator: No. The well-known …
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Quote Origin: One Cannot Invent What Does Not Exist. The Genius of Invention Lies in Rediscovering What Has Been Lost, Forgotten, or Misunderstood
Pablo Picasso? Jacques Lassaigne? Mary Chamot? Playboy? Question for Quote Investigator: I came across the following statement attributed to the prominent artist Pablo Picasso: A painter cannot paint what does not exist. He can only rediscover what has been lost, forgotten or misunderstood. This is certainly a curious ontological outlook, but I have not been …
Quote Origin: Music Washes Away from the Soul the Dust of Everyday Life
Pablo Picasso? Berthold Auerbach? Playboy? Aline Saarinen? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The following adage has been attributed to the famous painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso. Here are two versions: 1) Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.2) The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our …
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Quote Origin: We Love Music for the Buried Hopes, the Garnered Memories, the Tender Feelings, It Can Summon with a Touch
Letitia Elizabeth Landon? Pablo Picasso? Samuel Rogers? Question for Quote Investigator: The following statement has been attributed to the major artist Pablo Picasso: Art! I love it for the buried hopes, the garnered memories, the tender feelings it can summon at a touch. Curiously, a similar remark about music has been attributed to the Victorian …
Quote Origin: When There’s Anything To Steal, I Steal
Pablo Picasso? Françoise Gilot? Carlton Lake? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Pablo Picasso was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. He was also open to the ideas and approaches of other creators. The following remark has been attributed to the master painter: When there’s anything to steal, I steal. Is this …
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Quote Origin: Nothing Can Be Accomplished Without Solitude
Pablo Picasso? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: To accomplish an arduous cerebral task it is necessary to avoid quotidian interruptions and achieve a deeper form of concentration. The remarkable painter Pablo Picasso has been credited with the following perceptive adage: Without great solitude no serious work is possible. This quotation is popular, but I have …
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Quote Origin: Never Permit a Dichotomy to Rule Your Life
Pablo Picasso? Edward L. Bernays? Question for Quote Investigator: Achieving happiness is often challenging. Some people intensely dislike their work life and attempt to obtain joy elsewhere. There is a quotation that cautions against allowing this type of dichotomy to rule one’s life, and this valuable guidance has been attributed to the famous painter Pablo …
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Quote Origin: Every Child Is an Artist. The Problem Is How to Remain an Artist Once He or She Grows Up
John Lennon? Pablo Picasso? Carleton Noyes? Percy Mackaye? Dudley Crafts Watson? Agnes Snyder? Ricky Gervais? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: When a child is supplied with paint, clay, paper, and scissors he or she will experiment and construct images and figures. The artistic impulse is strong in the early years of life, but sadly it …