---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Numberless arts appear foolish whose…"
description: "\"Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png"
---

#  Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are…

![“Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png)

> “Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.”

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often dismiss art that seems frivolous, yet its hidden purposes can be profound and significant.

**In simple terms:** Art may look silly but can have deep meaning.

Key Takeaway

Look beyond appearances.

Themes

art perception wisdom

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

- cultural criticism
- literary analysis
- education
- media studies

Key Concepts

philosophy human nature interpretation

Questions to Reflect On

- What hidden purposes does a work of art serve?
- How do we judge the value of art?

A Different Perspective

Art's impact can be misread without context.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Appear Foolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appear-foolish-2543875/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Foolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolish/) [Foolish Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolish-secret-2543874/) [Most wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most-wise/) [Motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motive/) [Motives Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives-wise-2543876/) [Numberless Arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numberless-arts-2543873/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/)

## Related quotes

> [“Even the wise appear foolish before one who brings peace to another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoenix-desmond/even-the-wise-appear-foolish-before-one-who-brings-peace-to-another/)

[Phoenix Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoenix-desmond/)

> [In dealing with a man who thinks you are a fool, it is good sometimes to remind him that you know what he knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-dealing-with-a-man-who-thinks-you-are-a-fool-it-is-good-sometimes/)

[Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/)

> [People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are willing to remain actually fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/people-do-not-wish-to-appear-foolish-to-avoid-the-appearance-of/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [For since the fabric of the universe is most perfect and the work of a most wise Creator, nothing at all takes place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonhard-euler/for-since-the-fabric-of-the-universe-is-most-perfect-and-the-work-of/)

[Leonhard Euler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonhard-euler/)

> [There is oftentimes a great deal of knowledge where there is but little wisdom to improve that knowledge. It is not the most knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/there-is-oftentimes-a-great-deal-of-knowledge-where-there-is-but/)

[Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/)

> [Those men that in their writings are most wise Own nothing but their blind, stupefied hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/those-men-that-in-their-writings-are-most-wise-own-nothing-but-their/)

[William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/)

> [Since the fabric of the universe is most perfect and the work of a most wise Creator, nothing at all takes place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonhard-euler/since-the-fabric-of-the-universe-is-most-perfect-and-the-work-of-a/)

[Leonhard Euler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonhard-euler/)

> [Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/men-by-their-constitutions-are-naturally-divided-into-two-parties-1/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [It would be most right, and most wise, and, therefore must involve least suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/it-would-be-most-right-and-most-wise-and-therefore-must-involve-least/)

[Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/)

> [The only people who cannot change are the most wise and the most stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-only-people-who-cannot-change-are-the-most-wise-and-the-most/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Almighty Power, by whose most wise command, helpless, forlorn, uncertain, here I stand, take this faint glimmer of thyself away, or break into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/almighty-power-by-whose-most-wise-command-helpless-forlorn-uncertain/)

[John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/)

> [O Lord Most-wise, strengthen us by Your power that we not fear the non-believing world neither when they lash us with whips nor when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolaj-velimirovic/o-lord-most-wise-strengthen-us-by-your-power-that-we-not-fear-the-non/)

[Nikolaj Velimirovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolaj-velimirovic/)

> [I only had one year of eligibility and I wasn't getting many offers from other schools. I jumped on it to make a mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-starks/i-only-had-one-year-of-eligibility-and-i-wasn-t-getting-many-offers/)

[John Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-starks/)

> [Sometimes in life it is most wise to behave like a bridge: Don't judge the person who comes to you; let him come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/sometimes-in-life-it-is-most-wise-to-behave-like-a-bridge-don-t-judge/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [All are sure in their days except the most wise ... He is the wisest philosopher who holds his theory with some doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faraday/all-are-sure-in-their-days-except-the-most-wise-he-is-the-wisest/)

[Michael Faraday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faraday/)

## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

> [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/)

[François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

[Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

## 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": "Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-secret-motives-are-most-wise-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-secret-motives-are-most-wise-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8dc/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_art_numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-sec_257247.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret motives are most wise and weighty.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld",
                "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": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Numberless arts appear foolish whose secret...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-secret-motives-are-most-wise-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/numberless-arts-appear-foolish-whose-secret-motives-are-most-wise-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
