--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History speaks to artists. It changes the…" description: "\"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images.\" — Anselm Kiefer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/anselm-kiefer-19043_art_history-speaks-to-artists-it-changes-the_2590940.png" --- # History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's… ![“History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images.” quote by Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/anselm-kiefer-19043_art_history-speaks-to-artists-it-changes-the_2590940.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/anselm-kiefer-19043_art_history-speaks-to-artists-it-changes-the_2590940.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/anselm-kiefer-19043_art_history-speaks-to-artists-it-changes-the_2590940.png) > “History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images.” [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art evolves as history reshapes ideas, producing unexpected images. **In simple terms:** History influences artistic imagination. Key Takeaway Embrace historical context for fresh creativity. Themes history art creativity Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting - sculpture - design - education - exhibition Key Concepts cultural influence interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How does history inspire your work? - When might it constrain you? A Different Perspective Historical knowledge can limit originality if over‑relied upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-thinking-692155/) [Artists Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-changes-1860244/) [Changes Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changes-artist-1860243/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Speaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-speaks-676306/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speaks Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaks-artists-1860245/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) ## Related quotes > [We are not all the same. If you care that much, if you're that invested in us as artists and the changes that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-murray/we-are-not-all-the-same-if-you-care-that-much-if-you-re-that-invested/) [Ashleigh Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-murray/) > [Do not applaud me. It is not I who speaks to you, but history which speaks through my mouth. Fustel de](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/numa-denis-fustel-de-coulanges/do-not-applaud-me-it-is-not-i-who-speaks-to-you-but-history-which/) [Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/numa-denis-fustel-de-coulanges/) > [As a footballer I think your own history speaks for itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/as-a-footballer-i-think-your-own-history-speaks-for-itself/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [We need not fear the judgement of history. Who, after all, speaks today of the extermination of the Armenians?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/we-need-not-fear-the-judgement-of-history-who-after-all-speaks-today/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The evidence of history speaks with a single voice. I do not know any exception to the proposition that if you compare like with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-evidence-of-history-speaks-with-a-single-voice-i-do-not-know-any/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [In literary art, as in the art of the architect, the painter, the musician, signs that the artist is thinking of his own achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/in-literary-art-as-in-the-art-of-the-architect-the-painter-the/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I'm old-fashioned. I think William Blake and people in the Renaissance people were multi. 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He had this feeling of abstraction, and I do, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/an-artist-is-always-thinking-of-something-else-my-father-was-like/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [Music tells you about the artist and what they were thinking about at the time, because the person has to think about it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/music-tells-you-about-the-artist-and-what-they-were-thinking-about-at/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Life is a helluva thing. You can see trouble coming and you can't do a damn thing to prevent it coming. You just got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-helluva-thing-you-can-see-trouble-coming-and-you-can-t-do-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But life isn’t like that. You can’t be sure how it’s going to come out, even if you do everything right. They turn around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/but-life-isn-t-like-that-you-can-t-be-sure-how-it-s-going-to-come-out/) [Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/) > [If we were to expect the unexpected, then the unexpected would become expected, so we might as well say expect the expected, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-were-to-expect-the-unexpected-then-the-unexpected-would-become/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anselm Kiefer > [Art really is something very difficult. It is difficult to make, and it is sometimes difficult for the viewer to understand. It is difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/art-really-is-something-very-difficult-it-is-difficult-to-make-and-it/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [What does the artist do? He draws connections. He ties the invisible threads between things. He dives into history, be it the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/what-does-the-artist-do-he-draws-connections-he-ties-the-invisible/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [History is formed by the people, those who have power and those without power. Each one of us makes history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/history-is-formed-by-the-people-those-who-have-power-and-those/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [Art is difficult. It's not entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/art-is-difficult-it-s-not-entertainment/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [Art is difficult. It's not entertainment. There are only a few people who can say something about art - it's very restricted. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/art-is-difficult-it-s-not-entertainment-there-are-only-a-few-people/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [When knowledge becomes rigid, it stops living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/when-knowledge-becomes-rigid-it-stops-living/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [I might have been born into a very literal sense of chaos, but in fact that state is true of all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/i-might-have-been-born-into-a-very-literal-sense-of-chaos-but-in-fact/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [I am against the idea of the end, that everything culminates in paradise or judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/i-am-against-the-idea-of-the-end-that-everything-culminates-in/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [Ruins, for me, are the beginning. With the debris, you can construct new ideas. They are symbols of a beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/ruins-for-me-are-the-beginning-with-the-debris-you-can-construct-new/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [I believe art has to take responsibility but it should not give up being art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/i-believe-art-has-to-take-responsibility-but-it-should-not-give-up/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [I am of the opinion that there are artists and non-artists. I think that this is the way it always was and always will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/i-am-of-the-opinion-that-there-are-artists-and-non-artists-i-think/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [I was interested in transcendence from a very early age. I was interested in what was over there, what was behind life. So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/i-was-interested-in-transcendence-from-a-very-early-age-i-was/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [Art maybe the only space where an indvidual can be utterly free to question himself, as well as his relationship to his God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/art-maybe-the-only-space-where-an-indvidual-can-be-utterly-free-to/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [If I do something that depresses, it's not because I'm depressed, but because political life and history is depressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/if-i-do-something-that-depresses-it-s-not-because-i-m-depressed-but/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) > [Because of my Calvinistic upbringing, I was trained to think that what you do has to have a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-kiefer/because-of-my-calvinistic-upbringing-i-was-trained-to-think-that-what/) [Anselm Kiefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) [Explore all 33 Anselm Kiefer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-kiefer/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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