--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sorrowful and great is the artist's…" description: "\"Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny.\" — Franz Liszt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg" --- # Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny. ![“Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny.” quote by Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg) > “Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny.” [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) ## 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’s path is marked by sorrow and greatness, intertwining pain with creative triumph. **In simple terms:** Artist’s destiny mixes sorrow with greatness. Key Takeaway Embrace pain as creative fuel. Themes art sorrow greatness Mood somber inspired Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - painting - musical composition - writing Key Concepts existentialism creative process Questions to Reflect On - How does suffering shape your art? - When is it healthy to step back? A Different Perspective Sorrow can lead to burnout if unaddressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Great artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-artist/) [Sorrowful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrowful/) ## Related quotes > [Go into yourself and test the deeps in which your life takes rise; at its source you will find the answer to the question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/go-into-yourself-and-test-the-deeps-in-which-your-life-takes-rise-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I foster a sorrowful conception of affection. Make no sacrifices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/i-foster-a-sorrowful-conception-of-affection-make-no-sacrifices/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I think a great artist should be able to create any style, any form, anything from rock to pop to gospel to spiritual, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-think-a-great-artist-should-be-able-to-create-any-style-any-form/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [A great artist transforms our world, removes scales from our eyes, plugs from our ears, gloves from our fingertips, teaches us to perceive reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/a-great-artist-transforms-our-world-removes-scales-from-our-eyes/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. 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Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Nothing is better than music; when it takes us out of time, it has done more for us than we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/nothing-is-better-than-music-when-it-takes-us-out-of-time-it-has-done/) [Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/) > [Yet there be certain times in a young man’s life, when, through great sorrow or sin, all the boy in him is burnt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/yet-there-be-certain-times-in-a-young-man-s-life-when-through-great/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Geniuses can be scintillating and geniuses can be somber, but it's that inescapable sorrowful depth that shines through-originality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/geniuses-can-be-scintillating-and-geniuses-can-be-somber-but-it-s/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the hush that had fallen suddenly upon the whole sorrowful land, the immense wilderness, the colossal body of the fecund and mysterious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/and-in-the-hush-that-had-fallen-suddenly-upon-the-whole-sorrowful/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [I was forced to fall back upon the unsatisfactory conclusion, that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects which have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-was-forced-to-fall-back-upon-the-unsatisfactory-conclusion-that/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Time is never more misspent than while we declaim against the want of it; all our actions are then tinctured with peevishness. The yoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/time-is-never-more-misspent-than-while-we-declaim-against-the-want-of/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) > [I apologize for being obvious, but every time I watch the curtain come down on even a halfway decent production of a Shakespeare play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-apologize-for-being-obvious-but-every-time-i-watch-the-curtain-come/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) ## More by Franz Liszt > [“I love you sometimes foolishly and at these moments I do not understand that I could not, would not, and should not be so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/i-love-you-sometimes-foolishly-and-at-these-moments-i-do-not/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [I conclude that the Wagnerian operas which are already in the repertoire, and other masterworks as well, stand in no further need of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/i-conclude-that-the-wagnerian-operas-which-are-already-in-the/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Companions, in misery and worse, that is what we all are, and to try to change this substantially avails us nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/companions-in-misery-and-worse-that-is-what-we-all-are-and-to-try-to/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Life is only a long and bitter suicide, and faith alone can transform this suicide into a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/life-is-only-a-long-and-bitter-suicide-and-faith-alone-can-transform/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Brahms' Variations are better than mine, but mine were written before his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/brahms-variations-are-better-than-mine-but-mine-were-written-before/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [It is my fervent wish and my greatest ambition to leave a work with a few useful instructions for the pianists after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/it-is-my-fervent-wish-and-my-greatest-ambition-to-leave-a-work-with-a/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Music embodies feeling without forcing it to contend and combine with thought, as it is forced in most arts and especially in the art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/music-embodies-feeling-without-forcing-it-to-contend-and-combine-with/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [A person of any mental quality has ideas of his own. This is common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/a-person-of-any-mental-quality-has-ideas-of-his-own-this-is-common/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Supreme serenity still remains the Ideal of great Art. The shapes and transitory forms of life are but stages toward this Ideal, which Christ's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/supreme-serenity-still-remains-the-ideal-of-great-art-the-shapes-and/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [The music of the Gypsies belongs in the sphere of improvisation rather than in any other, without which it would have no power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/the-music-of-the-gypsies-belongs-in-the-sphere-of-improvisation/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Music is never stationary; successive forms and styles are only like so many resting-places - like tents pitched and taken down again on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/music-is-never-stationary-successive-forms-and-styles-are-only-like/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [I foster a sorrowful conception of affection. Make no sacrifices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/i-foster-a-sorrowful-conception-of-affection-make-no-sacrifices/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Truth is a great flirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/truth-is-a-great-flirt/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [We need improvement in the style of performance. There is no more advantage in a musician who plays and conducts than in one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/we-need-improvement-in-the-style-of-performance-there-is-no-more/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) > [Real men are sadly lacking in this world, for when they are put to the test they prove worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/real-men-are-sadly-lacking-in-this-world-for-when-they-are-put-to-the/) [Franz Liszt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) [Explore all 51 Franz Liszt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/) ## 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": "Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franz Liszt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-destiny/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-destiny/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/franz-liszt-13192_art_sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-dest_2798281.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sorrowful and great is the artist's destiny.” — Franz Liszt", "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": "Franz Liszt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-liszt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sorrowful and great is the artist's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-destiny/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-liszt/sorrowful-and-great-is-the-artist-s-destiny/#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 } } ] } ```