--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thank god we don't know a lot about…" description: "\"Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautréamont. These are the best guys we got, and their art is powerful bec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b40/cass-mccombs-7112_art_thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-will_2387623.jpg" --- # Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or… ![“Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautréamont. These are the best guys we got, and their art is powerful because they're mysterious. Once biographical information contaminates your consciousness, it's impossible to erase it and look at someone's work the…” quote by Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b40/cass-mccombs-7112_art_thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-will_2387623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b40/cass-mccombs-7112_art_thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-will_2387623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b40/cass-mccombs-7112_art_thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-will_2387623.jpg) > “Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautréamont. These are the best guys we got, and their art is powerful because they're mysterious. Once biographical information contaminates your consciousness, it's impossible to erase it and look at someone's work the same way again.” [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Knowing too much about an artist's life can cloud appreciation of their work, making it harder to experience its mystery and power. **In simple terms:** Biographical details can hinder pure artistic appreciation. Key Takeaway Separate art from the artist. Themes art appreciation biography perception Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - literary analysis - museum visits - education - personal reflection Key Concepts mystery interpretation cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How does knowing an artist's background affect your experience? - Can you appreciate art without any context? A Different Perspective Biographical context can also enrich understanding, not just obscure it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) ## Related quotes > [Thank God we don't know a lot about Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautreamont. These are the best guys we got, and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-shakespeare-or-moses-or-homer-or/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I will say that a lot of art, some of the best art, has very powerful and meaningful messages behind it, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-jacobson/i-will-say-that-a-lot-of-art-some-of-the-best-art-has-very-powerful/) [Abbi Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-jacobson/) > [Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoltan-kodaly/real-art-is-one-of-the-most-powerful-forces-in-the-rise-of-mankind/) [Zoltan Kodaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoltan-kodaly/) > [I feel that all good art is powerful and simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aulis-sallinen/i-feel-that-all-good-art-is-powerful-and-simple/) Aulis Sallinen > [I'm interested in the limits of personality, in the possibility of change, and the saving power of art. Do powerful works of art raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ross/i-m-interested-in-the-limits-of-personality-in-the-possibility-of/) [Adam Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ross/) > [I sincerely want to help create beauty in the world and move a culture of separateness back towards community. I really, really do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/i-sincerely-want-to-help-create-beauty-in-the-world-and-move-a/) [Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/) > [“Art is magic, and art is powerful. Art saves lives- I really believe that. It gives us courage and compassion we might not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cross/art-is-magic-and-art-is-powerful-art-saves-lives-i-really-believe/) [Sarah Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cross/) > [It's amazing how such a small piece of art can be such a powerful thing for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/it-s-amazing-how-such-a-small-piece-of-art-can-be-such-a-powerful/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [Art does not imitate life. Art is much more powerful than that. Art brings life back. And it does it by exposing the secrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-bernardo/art-does-not-imitate-life-art-is-much-more-powerful-than-that-art/) [Jose Bernardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-bernardo/) > [What gives me hope is art - it's the most powerful weapons ever created. It's a weapon of mass construction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-psihoyos/what-gives-me-hope-is-art-it-s-the-most-powerful-weapons-ever-created/) [Louie Psihoyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-psihoyos/) > [The power of art is as powerful as weapons of mass destruction; it's just where war destroys, art inspires. But in order to inspire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-power-of-art-is-as-powerful-as-weapons-of-mass-destruction-it-s/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [Maybe we didn't even have a chance. The message of American Pop Art was so powerful and so optimistic. But it was also very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/maybe-we-didn-t-even-have-a-chance-the-message-of-american-pop-art/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [The language of art is powerful to those who understand it, and puzzling to those who do not. What we do know is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-language-of-art-is-powerful-to-those-who-understand-it-and/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I endeavor to trigger positive, empowering, life-giving emotion - I believe art is that powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-holland/i-endeavor-to-trigger-positive-empowering-life-giving-emotion-i/) [Gary Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-holland/) > [Kaz's art is a powerful example of discipline and freedom. His classical calligraphy captures the inner movement and stillness of the brush and mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-halifax/kaz-s-art-is-a-powerful-example-of-discipline-and-freedom-his/) [Joan Halifax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-halifax/) ## More by Cass McCombs > [People expect not just songwriters but all personalities to pontificate about their egos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/people-expect-not-just-songwriters-but-all-personalities-to/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Elvis Presley wore a Star of David and a cross around his neck and, when someone asked him about it, he said, "It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/elvis-presley-wore-a-star-of-david-and-a-cross-around-his-neck-and/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I've always thought about myself as somewhat of a folk musician. I just write words. I don't think I'm even a musician. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-ve-always-thought-about-myself-as-somewhat-of-a-folk-musician-i/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I just write songs whenever I feel like it, whenever they come to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-just-write-songs-whenever-i-feel-like-it-whenever-they-come-to-me/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I think I like singing when I'm singing live. It's just in the studio when it's a drag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-think-i-like-singing-when-i-m-singing-live-it-s-just-in-the-studio/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [It's not my way to talk about my feelings. They're impudent to myself, so it wouldn't make any sense if I tried to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/it-s-not-my-way-to-talk-about-my-feelings-they-re-impudent-to-myself/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Thank God we don't know a lot about Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautreamont. These are the best guys we got, and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/thank-god-we-don-t-know-a-lot-about-shakespeare-or-moses-or-homer-or/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [All these biopics and biographies and people gossiping about so-and-so's drug abuse or who's sleeping with who, it's just a bunch of nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/all-these-biopics-and-biographies-and-people-gossiping-about-so-and/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [A lot of religious texts make for good reading. That's why they hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/a-lot-of-religious-texts-make-for-good-reading-that-s-why-they-hold-up/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Once biographical information contaminates your consciousness, it's impossible to erase it and look at someone's work the same way again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/once-biographical-information-contaminates-your-consciousness-it-s/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I don't like the word "happy." I wouldn't want to use it that context. I enjoy writing songs, it's a really good challenge, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-don-t-like-the-word-happy-i-wouldn-t-want-to-use-it-that-context-i/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [It doesn't mean that I'm overly enthusiastic about much music. Except the people that really touch me. It has to touch me, it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/it-doesn-t-mean-that-i-m-overly-enthusiastic-about-much-music-except/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [Music is the marriage of the feelings of the living to the wisdom of the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/music-is-the-marriage-of-the-feelings-of-the-living-to-the-wisdom-of/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [I don't care much about politics. That kind of witchcraft I stay away from because people end up dead. I'd rather die for music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-don-t-care-much-about-politics-that-kind-of-witchcraft-i-stay-away/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [When you play with great musicians, whether they're schooled or self-taught, they keep you on your toes. It comes down to people's personalities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/when-you-play-with-great-musicians-whether-they-re-schooled-or-self/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) [Explore all 94 Cass McCombs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) ## 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 > [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": "Thank god we don't know a lot about William Shakespeare or Moses or Homer or Lautréamont. 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