--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Geometry is the foundation of all painting." description: "\"Geometry is the foundation of all painting.\" — Albrecht Durer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png" --- # Geometry is the foundation of all painting. ![“Geometry is the foundation of all painting.” quote by Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png) > “Geometry is the foundation of all painting.” [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Geometry provides the structural rules that enable accurate and harmonious painting. **In simple terms:** Geometry is the structural basis for painting. Key Takeaway Study geometry to improve artistic composition. Themes art science structure Mood analytical instructive Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - art education - architectural design - graphic design - visual planning Key Concepts proportion perspective mathematics Questions to Reflect On - How does geometry influence aesthetic decisions? - Can strict rules coexist with artistic freedom? A Different Perspective May limit spontaneous creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Geometry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geometry/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [Without good drawing, the foundation of a painting will collapse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-danby/without-good-drawing-the-foundation-of-a-painting-will-collapse/) [Ken Danby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-danby/) > [Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/geometry-is-knowledge-of-the-eternally-existent/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The analytical geometry of Descartes and the calculus of Newton and Leibniz have expanded into the marvelous mathematical method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/the-analytical-geometry-of-descartes-and-the-calculus-of-newton-and/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [And since geometry is the right foundation of all painting, I have decided to teach its rudiments and principles to all youngsters eager for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/and-since-geometry-is-the-right-foundation-of-all-painting-i-have/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Where there is matter, there is geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/where-there-is-matter-there-is-geometry/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [The composer opens the cage door for arithmetic, the draftsman gives geometry its freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/the-composer-opens-the-cage-door-for-arithmetic-the-draftsman-gives/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [“ Euclid 's Elements has been for nearly twenty-two centuries the encouragement and guide of that scientific thought which is one thing with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kingdon-clifford/euclid-s-elements-has-been-for-nearly-twenty-two-centuries-the/) [William Kingdon Clifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kingdon-clifford/) > [The early study of Euclid made me a hater of geometry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joseph-sylvester/the-early-study-of-euclid-made-me-a-hater-of-geometry/) [James Joseph Sylvester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joseph-sylvester/) > [I am present at the sowing of the seed of the world. With a geometry of sunbeams, the soul lays the foundations of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-present-at-the-sowing-of-the-seed-of-the-world-with-a-geometry/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No one fully understands spinors. Their algebra is formally understood but their general significance is mysterious. In some sense they describe the 'square root'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atiyah/no-one-fully-understands-spinors-their-algebra-is-formally-understood/) [Michael Atiyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atiyah/) > [Geometry is the most complete science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-is-the-most-complete-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Regular geometry, the geometry of Euclid, is concerned with shapes which are smooth, except perhaps for corners and lines, special lines which are singularities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/regular-geometry-the-geometry-of-euclid-is-concerned-with-shapes/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/) [Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/) ## More by Albrecht Durer > [The artist is chosen by God to fulfill his commands and must never be overwhelmed by public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/the-artist-is-chosen-by-god-to-fulfill-his-commands-and-must-never-be/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [An artist of understanding and experience can show more of his great power and art in small things roughly and rudely done, than many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/an-artist-of-understanding-and-experience-can-show-more-of-his-great/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [“The treasure secretly gathered in your heart will become evident through your creative work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/the-treasure-secretly-gathered-in-your-heart-will-become-evident-2/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Love and delight are better teachers than compulsion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/love-and-delight-are-better-teachers-than-compulsion/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [There is no man on earth who can give a final judgment on what the most beautiful shape may be. Only God knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/there-is-no-man-on-earth-who-can-give-a-final-judgment-on-what-the/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [No single man can be taken as a model for a perfect figure, for no man lives on earth who is endowed with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/no-single-man-can-be-taken-as-a-model-for-a-perfect-figure-for-no-man/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [He that would be a painter must have a natural turn thereto. Love and delight therein are better of the Art of Painting than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/he-that-would-be-a-painter-must-have-a-natural-turn-thereto-love-and/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Sight is the noblest sense of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/sight-is-the-noblest-sense-of-man/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [What beauty is, I know not, though it adheres to many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/what-beauty-is-i-know-not-though-it-adheres-to-many-things/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Art is embedded in nature and they who can extract it, have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/art-is-embedded-in-nature-and-they-who-can-extract-it-have-it/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Why has God given me such magnificent talent? It is a curse as well as a great blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/why-has-god-given-me-such-magnificent-talent-it-is-a-curse-as-well-as/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [My father suffered much and toiled painfully all his life, for he had no resources other than the proceeds of his trade from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/my-father-suffered-much-and-toiled-painfully-all-his-life-for-he-had/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [Some think that they know everybody, but they really don't know themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/some-think-that-they-know-everybody-but-they-really-don-t-know/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [And since geometry is the right foundation of all painting, I have decided to teach its rudiments and principles to all youngsters eager for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/and-since-geometry-is-the-right-foundation-of-all-painting-i-have/) [Albrecht Durer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) > [“Truly, art is embedded in nature; he who can extract it, has it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/truly-art-is-embedded-in-nature-he-who-can-extract-it-has-it/) [Albrecht Dürer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) [Explore all 26 Albrecht Durer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Geometry is the foundation of all painting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albrecht Durer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/albrecht-durer-23080_artist_geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painti_897233.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Geometry is the foundation of all painting.” — Albrecht Durer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Albrecht Durer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albrecht-durer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Geometry is the foundation of all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albrecht-durer/geometry-is-the-foundation-of-all-painting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```