Skip to content

Architecture Quote by Ernest Hemingway

“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration, and the Baroque is over.” quote by Ernest Hemingway
Download Open image
“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration, and the Baroque is over.”

Ernest Hemingway

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Art of the Novel, Ernest Hemingway, 1934

He argues that prose should be structurally solid like a building, not merely ornamental, and that the excessive ornamentation of the Baroque style has ended.

In simple terms: Prose must be solid, not decorative; Baroque excess is past.

Key Takeaway

Focus on structural clarity in writing.

Themes

literature style architecture clarity

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

critical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • editing
  • architectural design
  • literary criticism

Key Concepts

structuralism minimalism aesthetic theory

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does structural discipline affect creativity?
  • When is ornamentation appropriate?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on structure can stifle creative expression.

2.6 out of 5 (5 ratings)

More by Ernest Hemingway

Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes

More Architecture quotes

Browse all 3,013 Architecture quotes