Skip to content

But you will tell me this is an inartistic age, and we are…

“But you will tell me this is an inartistic age, and we are an inartistic people, and the artist suffers much in this nineteenth century of ours. Of course he does. I, of all men, am not going to deny that. But remember that there has never been an artistic age, or an artistic people since the…” quote by Oscar Wilde
Download Open image
““But you will tell me this is an inartistic age, and we are an inartistic people, and the artist suffers much in this nineteenth century of ours. Of course he does. I, of all men, am not going to deny that. But remember that there has never been an artistic age, or an artistic people since the beginning of the world. The artist has always been, and will always be, an exquisite exception.””

Oscar Wilde

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Artistic brilliance is rare; societies claim cultural decline, yet true artistic exception persists across ages.

In simple terms: Artists are always exceptional.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and nurture artistic rarity.

Themes

art culture exceptionality

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • creative industries
  • education
  • public discourse

Key Concepts

aesthetic theory historical relativism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do we identify genuine artistic excellence today?
  • What societal factors suppress artistic expression?
A Different Perspective

Artistic value can be dismissed in modern times.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Oscar Wilde

Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes

More Art quotes

Browse all 48,643 Art quotes