Art Quote by Berthold Auerbach
“The little dissatisfaction which every artist feels at the completion of a work forms the germ of a new work.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Diary of a Country Parson, 1865
Artists often feel a lingering unease after finishing a piece, which sparks ideas for the next creation.
In simple terms: Finish‑induced restlessness fuels new art.
Key Takeaway
Embrace that restlessness as a creative cue.
Themes
creativity
art
process
inspiration
growth
Mood
reflective
motivational
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- finishing a painting
- writing a novel
- completing a performance
- post‑project reflection
Key Concepts
artistic tension
creative cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you channel post‑completion unease into concrete ideas?
- What habits help turn dissatisfaction into inspiration?
A Different Perspective
Restlessness may lead to self‑criticism rather than productive ideas.
![“Were it not for this [dissatisfaction], the perfect painting might be painted, on the completion of which the painter could retire. It is this great insufficiency that drives him on. The process of creation becomes necessary to the painter perhaps more than it is in the picture. The process is in…” quote by Lucian Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d2/lucian-freud-12071_completion_were-it-not-for-this-dissatisfaction-the_1882674.jpg)
