--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I suffer for my art and despise the…" description: "\"I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.\" — El Greco" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png" --- # I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed… ![“I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.” quote by El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png) > “I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.” [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist laments suffering for art and despises wealthy critics who praise it without understanding. **In simple terms:** I suffer for art and hate shallow rich critics. Key Takeaway Seek authentic appreciation, not shallow praise. Themes artistic suffering class conflict criticism authenticity Mood melancholic defiant Type reflective critical When to use this quote - gallery openings - artist networking - public exhibitions Key Concepts sacrifice elitism art criticism Questions to Reflect On - Do you value sincere feedback over fame? - How does class affect art reception? A Different Perspective Wealthy praise may be insincere and lack depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Scoundrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scoundrels/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [I have no evangelical feelings about art at all. I despise art education. Art doesn't lend itself to education. There is no knowledge there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/i-have-no-evangelical-feelings-about-art-at-all-i-despise-art/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [The default mode of modern writing about art is to despise any notion of singularity as so much overheated genius-fetishism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/the-default-mode-of-modern-writing-about-art-is-to-despise-any-notion/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [“We suffered for our art. You have to suffer for our art as well!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-gilliam/we-suffered-for-our-art-you-have-to-suffer-for-our-art-as-well/) [Terry Gilliam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-gilliam/) > [Try and stay sober. Until the curtain call. And for God's sake, have fun. Don't suffer for your art. Just have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/try-and-stay-sober-until-the-curtain-call-and-for-god-s-sake-have-fun/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [You've got to suffer for your art sometimes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-kiernan/you-ve-got-to-suffer-for-your-art-sometimes/) Ford Kiernan > [Our wishes are our most reliable mirror, and the black-and-white movies I'm most drawn to are about artists who suffer because art is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/our-wishes-are-our-most-reliable-mirror-and-the-black-and-white/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Many are willing to suffer for their art. Few are willing to learn to draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-munnery/many-are-willing-to-suffer-for-their-art-few-are-willing-to-learn-to/) [Simon Munnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-munnery/) > [Do I suffer for my art? Well, I get a lot of flatulence when I'm nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-clunes/do-i-suffer-for-my-art-well-i-get-a-lot-of-flatulence-when-i-m-nervous/) Martin Clunes > [I've been very fortunateit's just been an amazing piece of luck. I haven't had to suffer for my art but I've suffered enough inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/i-ve-been-very-fortunateit-s-just-been-an-amazing-piece-of-luck-i/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) > [I unfortunately do suffer for my art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-scott/i-unfortunately-do-suffer-for-my-art/) [Ridley Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-scott/) > [“The worst sort of scoundrels took up the chase. Drunkards, incorrigibles, poor whites who didn’t even own shoes delighted in this opportunity to scourge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-worst-sort-of-scoundrels-took-up-the-chase-drunkards/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [With a woman, always make good use of a secret. She will be proportionally grateful to you, like a scoundrel who grants his respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/with-a-woman-always-make-good-use-of-a-secret-she-will-be/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“He's unspoiled. We're all scoundrels, and he's only pretending to be one. He's a pure soul." "Yes, until he runs into temptation for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-stankovi/he-s-unspoiled-we-re-all-scoundrels-and-he-s-only-pretending-to-be/) Vladimir Stanković > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More by El Greco > [It is only after years of struggle and deprivation that the young artist should touch color - and then only in the company of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/it-is-only-after-years-of-struggle-and-deprivation-that-the-young/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [Painting, because of its universality, becomes speculation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/painting-because-of-its-universality-becomes-speculation/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [I was created by the all powerful God to fill the universe with my masterpieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-was-created-by-the-all-powerful-god-to-fill-the-universe-with-my/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [I paint because the spirits whisper madly inside my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-paint-because-the-spirits-whisper-madly-inside-my-head/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [The language of art is celestial in origin and can only be understood by the chosen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/the-language-of-art-is-celestial-in-origin-and-can-only-be-understood/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [Art is everywhere you look for it, hail the twinkling stars for they are God's careless splatters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/art-is-everywhere-you-look-for-it-hail-the-twinkling-stars-for-they/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [Can the darkness condemn the light?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/can-the-darkness-condemn-the-light/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) > [Artists create out of a sense of desolation. The spirit of creation is a excruciating, intricate exploration from within the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/artists-create-out-of-a-sense-of-desolation-the-spirit-of-creation-is/) [El Greco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) [Explore all 9 El Greco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/) ## 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": "I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "El Greco" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witless-moneyed-scoundrels-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witless-moneyed-scoundrels-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/el-greco-44946_art_i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witl_520146.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I suffer for my art and despise the witless moneyed scoundrels who praise it.” — El Greco", "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": "El Greco", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-greco/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I suffer for my art and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witless-moneyed-scoundrels-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-greco/i-suffer-for-my-art-and-despise-the-witless-moneyed-scoundrels-who/#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 } } ] } ```