--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The artist is always the servant, and is…" description: "\"The artist is always the servant, and is perpetually trying to pay for the gift that has been given to him as if by a miracle. Modern man, however, doe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_affirmation_the-artist-is-always-the-servant-and-is_1599076.jpg" --- # The artist is always the servant, and is perpetually… ![“The artist is always the servant, and is perpetually trying to pay for the gift that has been given to him as if by a miracle. Modern man, however, does not want to make any sacrifice, even though true affirmation of the self can only be expressed in sacrifice.” quote by Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_affirmation_the-artist-is-always-the-servant-and-is_1599076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_affirmation_the-artist-is-always-the-servant-and-is_1599076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/andrei-tarkovsky-3522_affirmation_the-artist-is-always-the-servant-and-is_1599076.jpg) > “The artist is always the servant, and is perpetually trying to pay for the gift that has been given to him as if by a miracle. Modern man, however, does not want to make any sacrifice, even though true affirmation of the self can only be expressed in sacrifice.” [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art demands humility; the creator must honor the gift through sacrifice, not entitlement. **In simple terms:** Artists must sacrifice to honor their gift. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and sacrifice in creative work. Themes humility art sacrifice gratitude Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - artist's studio - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism creative responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How does sacrifice shape your art? - What gifts do you feel compelled to honor? A Different Perspective Sacrifice may stifle creativity if forced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirmation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmation/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) ## Related quotes > [And I want to find a way to be of service to humanity. I think that's crucial. So want to be an artist and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/and-i-want-to-find-a-way-to-be-of-service-to-humanity-i-think-that-s/) [Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/) > [“The artist is a servant who is willing to be a birthgiver. In a very real sense the artist (male or female) should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/the-artist-is-a-servant-who-is-willing-to-be-a-birthgiver-in-a-very/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Sacrifice that causes pain is no sacrifice at all. True sacrifice is joy-giving and uplifting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/sacrifice-that-causes-pain-is-no-sacrifice-at-all-true-sacrifice-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Sacrifice is the very essence of religion; ... Without sacrifice there is no true worship of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/sacrifice-is-the-very-essence-of-religion-without-sacrifice-there-is/) [Gordon B. 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They all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/think-of-all-the-males-and-females-of-the-animal-and-plant-world-all/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) ## More by Andrei Tarkovsky > [Art is realistic when it strives to express an ethical ideal. Realism is striving for truth, and truth is always beautiful. Here the aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/art-is-realistic-when-it-strives-to-express-an-ethical-ideal-realism/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I think in fact that unless there is an organic link between the subjective impressions of the author and his objective representation of reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/i-think-in-fact-that-unless-there-is-an-organic-link-between-the/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-the-meaning-of-all-human-activity-lies-in-the-artistic/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [If we succeed with something, that is only because others are in need of what e have produced. 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In fact, the subject grows within him like a fruit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/it-is-a-mistake-to-talk-about-the-artist-looking-for-his-subject-in/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“The image in cinema is based on the ability to present as an observation one's own perception of an object”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/the-image-in-cinema-is-based-on-the-ability-to-present-as-an/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Man is born unto the trouble as the sparks fly upwards.' In other words suffering is germane to our existence; indeed, how without it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/man-is-born-unto-the-trouble-as-the-sparks-fly-upwards-in-other-words/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Why do people go to the cinema? What takes them into a darkened room where, for two hours, they watch the play of shadows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/why-do-people-go-to-the-cinema-what-takes-them-into-a-darkened-room/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Objectivity can only be the author's and therefore subjective, even if he is editing a newsreel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/objectivity-can-only-be-the-author-s-and-therefore-subjective-even-if/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [“Perhaps cinema is the most personal art, the most intimate. In cinema only the author's intimate truth will be convincing enough for the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-cinema-is-the-most-personal-art-the-most-intimate-in-cinema/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Weakness is a great thing, and strength is nothing. When a man is just born, he is weak and flexible. When he dies, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/weakness-is-a-great-thing-and-strength-is-nothing-when-a-man-is-just/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) [Explore all 120 Andrei Tarkovsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) ## More Affirmation quotes > [One of the most powerful concepts, one which is a sure cure for lack of confidence, is the thought that God is with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/one-of-the-most-powerful-concepts-one-which-is-a-sure-cure-for-lack/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [Art, if it is successful in the task of questioning reality, if it is good painting and not merely a performance of dexterity, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swift/art-if-it-is-successful-in-the-task-of-questioning-reality-if-it-is/) [Patrick Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swift/) > [There's a certain feeling of giving, a certain feeling of generosity in love songs. 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