--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once upon a time, there was a king who…" description: "\"“Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and glorious nation. Favourite amongst his subjects was the court painter of whom he was very pro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg" --- # Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and… ![“Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and glorious nation. Favourite amongst his subjects was the court painter of whom he was very proud. Everybody agreed this wizzened old man pianted the greatest pictures in the whole kingdom and the king would spend hours each day gazing at them…” quote by Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg) > ““Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and glorious nation. Favourite amongst his subjects was the court painter of whom he was very proud. Everybody agreed this wizzened old man pianted the greatest pictures in the whole kingdom and the king would spend hours each day gazing at them in wonder. However, one day a dirty and dishevelled stranger presented himself at the court claiming that in fact he was the greatest painter in the land. The indignant king decreed a competition would be held between the two artists, confident it would teach the vagabond an embarrassing lesson. Within a month they were both to produce a masterpiece that would out do the other. After thirty days of working feverishly day and night, both artists were ready. They placed their paintings, each hidden by a cloth, on easels in the great hall of the castle. As a large crowd gathered, the king ordered the cloth be pulled first from the court artist’s easel. Everyone gasped as before them was revealed a wonderful oil painting of a table set with a feast. At its centre was an ornate bowl full of exotic fruits glistening moistly in the dawn light. As the crowd gazed admiringly, a sparrow perched high up on the rafters of the hall swooped down and hungrily tried to snatch one of the grapes from the painted bowl only to hit the canvas and fall down dead with shock at the feet of the king. ’Aha!’ exclaimed the king. ’My artist has produced a painting so wonderful it has fooled nature herself, surely you must agree that he is the greatest painter who ever lived!’ But the vagabond said nothing and stared solemnly at his feet. ’Now, pull the blanket from your painting and let us see what you have for us,’ cried the king. But the tramp remained motionless and said nothing. Growing impatient, the king stepped forward and reached out to grab the blanket only to freeze in horror at the last moment. ’You see,’ said the tramp quietly, ’there is no blanket covering the painting. This is actually just a painting of a cloth covering a painting. And whereas your famous artist is content to fool nature, I’ve made the king of the whole country look like a clueless little twat.”” [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tale of rivalry and illusion reveals that true mastery may be invisible, and that what is seen is not always the whole truth. **In simple terms:** True skill can be hidden; appearances deceive. Key Takeaway Look beyond the surface. Themes competition illusion art pride perception Mood mysterious thoughtful critical Type fable parable artistic commentary When to use this quote - gallery exhibition - court competition - public critique - artist rivalry - media commentary Key Concepts perception vanity truth artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean when art “fools nature”? - How do we judge greatness when the work is unseen? A Different Perspective The story may be a modern fable, not a factual event, limiting its historical reliability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Court Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court-painter-3129756/) [Day and night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) [Exclaimed King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclaimed-king-3129754/) [Greatest Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-painter-1373386/) [King Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king-artist-3129755/) [Oil painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oil-painting/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Painter Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-lived-813525/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Te Amo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/te-amo/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [An artist who brings to his work a mind tolerably furnished with the general principles of art, and a taste formed upon the works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/an-artist-who-brings-to-his-work-a-mind-tolerably-furnished-with-the/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [“A real education will not teach you to compete; it will teach you to cooperate. It will not teach you to fight and come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/a-real-education-will-not-teach-you-to-compete-it-will-teach-you-to-2/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [“Mother nature is the greatest painter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/mother-nature-is-the-greatest-painter/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [I was born in Den Bosch, where the painter Hieronymus Bosch named himself after. And so I've always been very fond of this painter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/i-was-born-in-den-bosch-where-the-painter-hieronymus-bosch-named/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [ It's called "Pickman's Mephitic Models," based on the story \[Pickman's Model by H. P. Lovecraft\].Certain things about it many people don't realize. Pickman was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/it-s-called-pickman-s-mephitic-models-based-on-the-story-pickman-s/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [Many a painter has lived in affluence, in high esteem, who lacked the divine spark, and who is utterly forgotten to-day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-phillips/many-a-painter-has-lived-in-affluence-in-high-esteem-who-lacked-the/) [Walter J. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-phillips/) > [Remember crime against property is not real crime. People look at an oil painting and admire the use of brushstrokes to convey meaning. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/remember-crime-against-property-is-not-real-crime-people-look-at-an/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Fiction is not photography, it's oil painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/fiction-is-not-photography-it-s-oil-painting/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“Eliot did to the word love what the Russians did to the word democracy. If Eliot is going to love everybody, no matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/eliot-did-to-the-word-love-what-the-russians-did-to-the-word/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I am primarily an oil painter and a studio painter, so originally I was going to do an oil painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatyana-fazlalizadeh/i-am-primarily-an-oil-painter-and-a-studio-painter-so-originally-i/) [Tatyana Fazlalizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatyana-fazlalizadeh/) > [“When I see how several painters I know here are struggling with their watercolours and paintings so that they can't see a solution anymore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/when-i-see-how-several-painters-i-know-here-are-struggling-with-their/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is this, an audience or an oil painting?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-this-an-audience-or-an-oil-painting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'd always thought it was gaudy, but standing there watching him beside the gold and glass shrine, I realised that his was a candlelight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-pulley/i-d-always-thought-it-was-gaudy-but-standing-there-watching-him/) [Natasha Pulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-pulley/) > [I've been looking at oil paintings from oriental artists lately, and the one artist who's inspired me right now is a man named Hokusai…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-o-connor/i-ve-been-looking-at-oil-paintings-from-oriental-artists-lately-and/) [Renee O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-o-connor/) > [Oil painting did to appearances what capital did to social relations. It reduced everything to the equality of objects. Everything became exchangeable because everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/oil-painting-did-to-appearances-what-capital-did-to-social-relations/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) ## More by Banksy > [A wall is a very big weapon. It's one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/a-wall-is-a-very-big-weapon-it-s-one-of-the-nastiest-things-you-can/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Some people criticize me for using sources that are a bit low brow (this quote is from 'Gladiator') but you know what? 'I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/some-people-criticize-me-for-using-sources-that-are-a-bit-low-brow/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [There's nothing more dangerous than someone who wants to make the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/there-s-nothing-more-dangerous-than-someone-who-wants-to-make-the/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Today's art has been cancelled due to police activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/today-s-art-has-been-cancelled-due-to-police-activity/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Graffiti ultimately wins out over proper art because it becomes part of your city, it' s a tool; "I'll meet you in that pub,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/graffiti-ultimately-wins-out-over-proper-art-because-it-becomes-part/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [The bad artists imitate, the great artists steal,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-bad-artists-imitate-the-great-artists-steal/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Graffiti's always been a temporary art form. You make your mark and then they scrub it off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/graffiti-s-always-been-a-temporary-art-form-you-make-your-mark-and/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [I just wanna make the world a better-looking place. If you don't like it, you can paint over it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/i-just-wanna-make-the-world-a-better-looking-place-if-you-don-t-like/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [When he time comes to leave, just walk away quietly and don't make any fuss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/when-he-time-comes-to-leave-just-walk-away-quietly-and-don-t-make-any/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [If at first you don't succeed, Call an airstrike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-call-an-airstrike/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [Painting something that defies the law of the land is good. Painting something that defies the law of the land and the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/painting-something-that-defies-the-law-of-the-land-is-good-painting/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a fucking sharp knife to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/think-outside-the-box-collapse-the-box-and-take-a-fucking-sharp-knife/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [We can't do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime we should all go shopping to console ourselves,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/we-can-t-do-anything-to-change-the-world-until-capitalism-crumbles-in/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [If you want to say something and have people listen then you have to wear a mask. If you want to be honest then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/if-you-want-to-say-something-and-have-people-listen-then-you-have-to/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) [Explore all 140 Banksy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) ## 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. 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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and glorious nation. Favourite amongst his subjects was the court painter of whom he was very proud. Everybody agreed this wizzened old man pianted the greatest pictures in the whole kingdom and the king would spend hours each day gazing at them in wonder. However, one day a dirty and dishevelled stranger presented himself at the court claiming that in fact he was the greatest painter in the land. The indignant king decreed a competition would be held between the two artists, confident it would teach the vagabond an embarrassing lesson. Within a month they were both to produce a masterpiece that would out do the other. After thirty days of working feverishly day and night, both artists were ready. They placed their paintings, each hidden by a cloth, on easels in the great hall of the castle. As a large crowd gathered, the king ordered the cloth be pulled first from the court artist’s easel. Everyone gasped as before them was revealed a wonderful oil painting of a table set with a feast. At its centre was an ornate bowl full of exotic fruits glistening moistly in the dawn light. As the crowd gazed admiringly, a sparrow perched high up on the rafters of the hall swooped down and hungrily tried to snatch one of the grapes from the painted bowl only to hit the canvas and fall down dead with shock at the feet of the king. ’Aha!’ exclaimed the king. ’My artist has produced a painting so wonderful it has fooled nature herself, surely you must agree that he is the greatest painter who ever lived!’ But the vagabond said nothing and stared solemnly at his feet. ’Now, pull the blanket from your painting and let us see what you have for us,’ cried the king. But the tramp remained motionless and said nothing. Growing impatient, the king stepped forward and reached out to grab the blanket only to freeze in horror at the last moment. ’You see,’ said the tramp quietly, ’there is no blanket covering the painting. This is actually just a painting of a cloth covering a painting. And whereas your famous artist is content to fool nature, I’ve made the king of the whole country look like a clueless little twat.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Banksy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ruled-a-great-and-glorious/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ruled-a-great-and-glorious/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/banksy-3076_art_once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ru_1134014.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a great and glorious nation. Favourite amongst his subjects was…” — Banksy", "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": "Banksy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Once upon a time, there was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ruled-a-great-and-glorious/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-king-who-ruled-a-great-and-glorious/#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 } } ] } ```