--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What an artist learns matters little…" description: "\"What an artist learns matters little. What he himself discovers has a real worth for him, and gives him the necessary incitement to work.\" — Emil Nolde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/emil-nolde-34353_art_what-an-artist-learns-matters-little-wha_2820565.png" --- # What an artist learns matters little. What he himself… ![“What an artist learns matters little. What he himself discovers has a real worth for him, and gives him the necessary incitement to work.” quote by Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/emil-nolde-34353_art_what-an-artist-learns-matters-little-wha_2820565.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/emil-nolde-34353_art_what-an-artist-learns-matters-little-wha_2820565.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/emil-nolde-34353_art_what-an-artist-learns-matters-little-wha_2820565.png) > “What an artist learns matters little. What he himself discovers has a real worth for him, and gives him the necessary incitement to work.” [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal discovery outweighs external instruction; true value comes from inner insight that fuels creative work. **In simple terms:** Inner insight drives creativity. Key Takeaway Trust your own discoveries. Themes creativity self‑reliance artistic growth Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - painting - writing - design projects - personal journaling Key Concepts self‑knowledge intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between useful feedback and distracting advice? - What inner signals spark your creative drive? A Different Perspective External advice may still be useful; balance it with inner guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [A real good artist learns to be a better person through all the changes they've been through. They keep their loving and honesty growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradley/a-real-good-artist-learns-to-be-a-better-person-through-all-the/) [Charles Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradley/) > [ The form \[of literature\] matters little to me, classical or not. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/the-form-of-literature-matters-little-to-me-classical-or-not/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [It matters little who first arrives at an idea, rather what is significant is how far that idea can go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-germain/it-matters-little-who-first-arrives-at-an-idea-rather-what-is/) [Sophie Germain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-germain/) > [Life can be harsh. But it matters little. What matters is how well you hold your tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-can-be-harsh-but-it-matters-little-what-matters-is-how-well-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People always say that, when you love someone, nothing in the world matters. But thats not true, is it? You know, and I know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/people-always-say-that-when-you-love-someone-nothing-in-the-world/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [It matters little where a man may be at this moment; the point is whether he is growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-matters-little-where-a-man-may-be-at-this-moment-the-point-is/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [It matters little if something is 'craft' or 'art.' The question is only this: does it give me pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-darby-bannard/it-matters-little-if-something-is-craft-or-art-the-question-is-only/) [Walter Darby Bannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-darby-bannard/) > [When a woman hath ceased to be quite the same to us, it matters little how different she becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/when-a-woman-hath-ceased-to-be-quite-the-same-to-us-it-matters-little/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [It matters little how much equipment we use; it matters much that we be masters of all we do use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/it-matters-little-how-much-equipment-we-use-it-matters-much-that-we/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [“It seems cruel," she said, "that after a while nothing matters... any more than these little things that used to be necessary and important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/it-seems-cruel-she-said-that-after-a-while-nothing-matters-any-more/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [I was born to be a remarkable woman; it matters little in what way or how. ... I shall be famous or I will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-bashkirtseff/i-was-born-to-be-a-remarkable-woman-it-matters-little-in-what-way-or/) [Marie Bashkirtseff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-bashkirtseff/) > [It matters little how one begins, provided that he be resolved to go on well, and to end well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/it-matters-little-how-one-begins-provided-that-he-be-resolved-to-go/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Beware of spending too much time on matters of little importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/self/beware-of-spending-too-much-time-on-matters-of-little-importance/) Self > [It matters little who is the enemy, if we cannot beat off his attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-matters-little-who-is-the-enemy-if-we-cannot-beat-off-his-attack/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Whether \[the 1993 World Trade Center bombing\] was a setup by the Israeli Mossad, as a Jewish friend of mine suspects, or was truly… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/whether-the-1993-world-trade-center-bombing-was-a-setup-by-the/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## More by Emil Nolde > [A work becomes a work of art when one re-evaluates the values of nature and adds one's own spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/a-work-becomes-a-work-of-art-when-one-re-evaluates-the-values-of/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Art is exalted above religion and race. Not a single solitary soul these days believes in the religions of the Assyrians, the Egyptians and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/art-is-exalted-above-religion-and-race-not-a-single-solitary-soul/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Pictures are spiritual beings. The soul of the painter lives within them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/pictures-are-spiritual-beings-the-soul-of-the-painter-lives-within/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [The art of an artist must be his own art. It is... always a continuous chain of little inventions, little technical discoveries of ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/the-art-of-an-artist-must-be-his-own-art-it-is-always-a-continuous/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Yellow can express happiness, and then again, pain. There is flame red, blood red, and rose red; there is silver blue, sky blue, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/yellow-can-express-happiness-and-then-again-pain-there-is-flame-red/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [There is silver blue, sky blue and thunder blue. Every colour holds within it a soul, which makes me happy or repels me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/there-is-silver-blue-sky-blue-and-thunder-blue-every-colour-holds/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Sometimes it seems to me that I am capable of absolutely nothing, but that nature through me can accomplish a great deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/sometimes-it-seems-to-me-that-i-am-capable-of-absolutely-nothing-but/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [The art of an artist must be his own art. It is... always a continuous chain of little inventions, little technical discoveries of one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/the-art-of-an-artist-must-be-his-own-art-it-is-always-a-continuous-2/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [There cannot be creation without a lot of energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/there-cannot-be-creation-without-a-lot-of-energy/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [As an artist I am attracted by decadence, by those who exhaust their lives in the shallow pursuits of pleasure. Occasionally, I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/as-an-artist-i-am-attracted-by-decadence-by-those-who-exhaust-their/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Colours in vibration, peeling like silver bells and clanging like bronze bells, proclaiming happiness, passion and love, soul, blood and death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/colours-in-vibration-peeling-like-silver-bells-and-clanging-like/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [Clever people master life; the wise illuminate it and create fresh difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/clever-people-master-life-the-wise-illuminate-it-and-create-fresh/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) > [The artist need not know very much, best of all let him work instinctively and paint as naturally as he breathes or walks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-nolde/the-artist-need-not-know-very-much-best-of-all-let-him-work/) [Emil Nolde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) [Explore all 14 Emil Nolde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-nolde/) ## 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": "What an artist learns matters little. 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