--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now, as never before, it was clear to him…" description: "\"“Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is always, ceaselessly, occupied with two things. It constantly reflects on death and thereby const..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png" --- # Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is… ![“Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is always, ceaselessly, occupied with two things. It constantly reflects on death and thereby constantly creates life.” quote by Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png) > ““Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is always, ceaselessly, occupied with two things. It constantly reflects on death and thereby constantly creates life.”” [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art repeatedly confronts mortality, using that awareness to generate vitality and meaning. **In simple terms:** Art faces death, creates life. Key Takeaway Use art to transform fear of death into creative energy. Themes art mortality creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - museum visits - personal reflection - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting death inspire your work? - What life can you create from loss? A Different Perspective Art may romanticize death, ignoring practical concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Ceaselessly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-ceaselessly-1536416/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Ceaselessly Occupied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceaselessly-occupied-1536419/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Constantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-constantly-1536417/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Reflects Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflects-death-1536418/) [Things Constantly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-constantly-519647/) ## Related quotes > [Death is nowhere and you are constantly dying; life is a benediction and you are in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-nowhere-and-you-are-constantly-dying-life-is-a-benediction/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The life of our bodies is only a constantly prevented dying, an ever deferred death…Every breath we draw wards off death that constantly impinges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/the-life-of-our-bodies-is-only-a-constantly-prevented-dying-an-ever/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [“Every breath we draw wards off the death that constantly impinges on us…. Ultimately death must triumph, for by birth it has already become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/every-breath-we-draw-wards-off-the-death-that-constantly-impinges-on/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [We see death constantly on film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/we-see-death-constantly-on-film/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [“Clearly, this was another thing I needed to add to the: ‘repetitive cycle of things that were constantly happening in my life’ list, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-rose/clearly-this-was-another-thing-i-needed-to-add-to-the-repetitive/) [Adele Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-rose/) > [I never claimed to be a low-maintenance gal, but when I'm writing, it's particularly challenging. I lose things constantly: my watch, my glasses, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/i-never-claimed-to-be-a-low-maintenance-gal-but-when-i-m-writing-it-s/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) > [There are worse things than being constantly hired to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bateman/there-are-worse-things-than-being-constantly-hired-to-do-anything/) [Jason Bateman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bateman/) > [Things are constantly evolving, and anything could happen. And that's exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tyree-henry/things-are-constantly-evolving-and-anything-could-happen-and-that-s/) [Brian Tyree Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tyree-henry/) > [I look about my house and see there are lots of lovely things in it, but I constantly buy more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/i-look-about-my-house-and-see-there-are-lots-of-lovely-things-in-it/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [I find that the best way to do things is to constantly move forward and to never doubt anything and keep moving forward, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/i-find-that-the-best-way-to-do-things-is-to-constantly-move-forward/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [With directing, you always have three or four things constantly on the go. It's a tough industry and a tough time, particularly if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-townsend/with-directing-you-always-have-three-or-four-things-constantly-on-the/) [Stuart Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-townsend/) > [Things are constantly in flux and changing, and as crazy-making as that can be, it's also the thing that can get you through tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/things-are-constantly-in-flux-and-changing-and-as-crazy-making-as/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) > [One of the things I'm constantly aware of is that we have to keep moving. If we keep moving, something is bound to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/one-of-the-things-i-m-constantly-aware-of-is-that-we-have-to-keep/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [Music is one of those things that is constantly going in my head all the time. It's sort of like the evolution and creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeril-lagasse/music-is-one-of-those-things-that-is-constantly-going-in-my-head-all/) [Emeril Lagasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeril-lagasse/) > [Things change all the time, so why do people make such a philosophical to-do that things are constantly in transition?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/things-change-all-the-time-so-why-do-people-make-such-a-philosophical/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## More by Boris Pasternak > [“Happy are the downtrodden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/happy-are-the-downtrodden/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“The saddest thing of all was that their party represented a deviation from the conditions of the time. It was impossible to imagine that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/the-saddest-thing-of-all-was-that-their-party-represented-a-deviation/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [No deep and strong feeling, such as we may come across here and there in the world, is unmixed with compassion. The more we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/no-deep-and-strong-feeling-such-as-we-may-come-across-here-and-there/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [She was here on earth to make sense of its wild enchantments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/she-was-here-on-earth-to-make-sense-of-its-wild-enchantments/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [Art has two constant, two unending concerns: It always meditates on death and thus always creates life. All great, genuine art resembles and continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/art-has-two-constant-two-unending-concerns-it-always-meditates-on/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats of any kind, whether of jail or retribution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/i-think-that-if-the-beast-who-sleeps-in-man-could-be-held-down-by/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [And so it turned out that only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/and-so-it-turned-out-that-only-a-life-similar-to-the-life-of-those/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [I come here to speak poetry. It will always be in the grass. It will also be necessary to bend down to hear it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/i-come-here-to-speak-poetry-it-will-always-be-in-the-grass-it-will/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“I'll stay with you a little, my unforgettable delight, for as long as my arms and my hands and my lips remember you. I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/i-ll-stay-with-you-a-little-my-unforgettable-delight-for-as-long-as/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [If it's so painful to love and absorb electricity, how much more painful it is to be a woman, to be the electricity, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/if-it-s-so-painful-to-love-and-absorb-electricity-how-much-more/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [I don't like purely philosophical works. I think a little philosophy should be added to life and art by way of seasoning, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/i-don-t-like-purely-philosophical-works-i-think-a-little-philosophy/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“But sometimes, to enable her to bear her life, she needed the accompaniment of an inward music and she could not always compose it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/but-sometimes-to-enable-her-to-bear-her-life-she-needed-the/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“We’ve been lucky. The autumn happened to be dry and warm. We managed to dig the potatoes before the rain and cold set in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/we-ve-been-lucky-the-autumn-happened-to-be-dry-and-warm-we-managed-to/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [Departure beyond the borders of my country is for me equivalent to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/departure-beyond-the-borders-of-my-country-is-for-me-equivalent-to/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [“As he scribbled his odds and ends, he made a note reaffirming his belief that art always serves beauty, and beauty is delight in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/as-he-scribbled-his-odds-and-ends-he-made-a-note-reaffirming-his/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) [Explore all 189 Boris Pasternak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) ## 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": "“Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is always, ceaselessly, occupied with two things. It constantly reflects on death and thereby constantly creates life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Boris Pasternak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him-that-art-is-always/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him-that-art-is-always/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbc/boris-pasternak-1944_art_now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him_1742925.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Now, as never before, it was clear to him that art is always, ceaselessly, occupied with two things. It…” — Boris Pasternak", "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": "Boris Pasternak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Now, as never before, it was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him-that-art-is-always/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/now-as-never-before-it-was-clear-to-him-that-art-is-always/#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 } } ] } ```