--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: when I came to know Greek art I instantly…" description: "\"when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the other hand this world and the millions of world..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg" --- # when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that… ![“when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the other hand this world and the millions of worlds around us live by fire ... !” quote by Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg) > “when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the other hand this world and the millions of worlds around us live by fire ... !” [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greek art teaches that excess and perfection oppose each other, yet the world thrives on fire and contrast. **In simple terms:** Too much or too perfect are at odds, but contrast fuels life. Key Takeaway Balance extremes, value contrast. Themes art philosophy balance Mood analytical inspirational Type critical reflective When to use this quote - design work - creative writing - teaching art history - personal creativity Key Concepts aesthetics dialectics Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do you balance excess and perfection? - How does contrast inspire you? A Different Perspective Excess can be necessary for innovation, not just a flaw. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Excess Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess-perfection-1028029/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Greek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek/) [Greek art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek-art/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Live by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-by/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-enemies-1028030/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Understood Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-excess-1028031/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [One meets the cat in nearly all forms of art...curiously enough she is not a conspicuous figure in Roman or Greek art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-van-vechten/one-meets-the-cat-in-nearly-all-forms-of-art-curiously-enough-she-is/) [Carl Van Vechten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-van-vechten/) > [Prehistoric art came to move me much more than Greek art. 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In fact, the representation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-idea-that-aphrodite-was-simply-a-representation-of-carnal-lust-is/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“What is it about the Greek character that has allowed this complex culture to thrive for millennia? The Greek Isles are home to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-brooks/what-is-it-about-the-greek-character-that-has-allowed-this-complex/) [Laura Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-brooks/) > [“In this sense the Dionysian man resembles Hamlet: both have once looked truly into the essence of things, they have gained knowledge , and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-this-sense-the-dionysian-man-resembles-hamlet-both-have-once/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Art has no immediate future because all art is collective and there is no more collective life(there are only dead collections of people), and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/art-has-no-immediate-future-because-all-art-is-collective-and-there/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) ## More by Ethel Smyth > [if you take passionate interest in a subject, it is hard not to believe yourself specially equipped for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-you-take-passionate-interest-in-a-subject-it-is-hard-not-to/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [No doubt other writers have often put a thing more brilliantly, more subtly than even a very cunning artist in words can hope to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/no-doubt-other-writers-have-often-put-a-thing-more-brilliantly-more/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [If some people are right, artists are put into this world not to practice their art, but to talk about it. And judging by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-some-people-are-right-artists-are-put-into-this-world-not-to/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [The habit some writers indulge in of perpetual quotation is one it behooves lovers of good literature to protest against, for it is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-habit-some-writers-indulge-in-of-perpetual-quotation-is-one-it/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [Because I have conducted my own operas and love sheep-dogs; because I generally dress in tweeds, and sometimes, at winter afternoon concerts, have even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/because-i-have-conducted-my-own-operas-and-love-sheep-dogs-because-i/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [If a young dog strays up the aisle during church no one says anything, no one does anything, but, none the less, he soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/if-a-young-dog-strays-up-the-aisle-during-church-no-one-says-anything/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I have often noticed that when Fate has a phenomenal run of ill luck in store for you, she begins by dropping a rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-have-often-noticed-that-when-fate-has-a-phenomenal-run-of-ill-luck/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I loved dancing with a delirious 'I wish I could die' passion, especially when the music appealed to me ... but alas! only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-loved-dancing-with-a-delirious-i-wish-i-could-die-passion/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [I can imagine nothing more tiresome than always to speak of people as if they were listening at the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/i-can-imagine-nothing-more-tiresome-than-always-to-speak-of-people-as/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [night after night I went to sleep murmuring, 'To-morrow I will be easy, strong, quick, supple, accurate, dashing and self-controlled all at once!' For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/night-after-night-i-went-to-sleep-murmuring-to-morrow-i-will-be-easy/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [no one is more trustworthy than the repentant sinner who has been found out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/no-one-is-more-trustworthy-than-the-repentant-sinner-who-has-been/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [the majority of critical, and plenty of uncritical, readers find quotations a bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-majority-of-critical-and-plenty-of-uncritical-readers-find/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [The charms of seclusion are seldom combined with the conveniences of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/the-charms-of-seclusion-are-seldom-combined-with-the-conveniences-of/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [crawling about the floor like half-dead November flies is one thing, and dancing reels another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/crawling-about-the-floor-like-half-dead-november-flies-is-one-thing/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) > [ \[On golf:\] ... though aware I could never be more than a humble potterer, it was impossible to repress the wild upsurgings of hope… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/on-golf-though-aware-i-could-never-be-more-than-a-humble-potterer-it/) [Ethel Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) [Explore all 19 Ethel Smyth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the other hand this world and the millions of worlds around us live by fire ... !", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethel Smyth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantly-understood-that-excess-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantly-understood-that-excess-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a9/ethel-smyth-28096_art_when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantl_1688398.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“when I came to know Greek art I instantly understood that excess and perfection are enemies; yet on the…” — Ethel Smyth", "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": "Ethel Smyth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-smyth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "when I came to know Greek...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantly-understood-that-excess-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-smyth/when-i-came-to-know-greek-art-i-instantly-understood-that-excess-and/#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 } } ] } ```