Artist Quote by David Cobley
“As a boy, I used to look at reproductions of Rembrandt's portraits... the people in his paintings were so real I felt I knew them... It is his empathy for the sitter, combined with his enjoyment and dexerity in handling paint that captured my imagination then, and is what I am striving for still.”
About This Quote
The speaker admires Rembrandt's ability to render subjects with such psychological depth that they feel alive, and as to emulate that blend of empathy and technical skill.
In simple terms: Seek to paint with feeling and mastery.
Key Takeaway
Empathy plus technique creates vivid art.
Themes
artistic inspiration
empathy
technical skill
portraiture
Mood
admiration
aspiration
Type
artist statement
reflection
When to use this quote
- studying master works
- learning portrait techniques
- developing emotional awareness in art
Key Concepts
psychological realism
craftsmanship
Practical Applications
- practice observational drawing
- experiment with expressive brushwork
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance emotional connection with technical precision in your work?
- What practices help you see subjects as individuals rather than models?
![“One association with the arts that I vividly remember was a magazine called Normal Instructor, a teachers' magazine, that Miss George would hold up with illustrations of great artworks like [Vincent] van Gogh and Rembrandt [van Rijn].” quote by Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/39c/paul-smith-10839_art_one-association-with-the-arts-that-i-viv_139353.jpg)
