Age Quote by George Grosz
“In public buildings set aside for the care and maintenance of the goods of the middle ages, a staff of civil service art attendants praise all the dead, irrelevant scribblings and scrawlings that, at best, have only historical interest for idiots and layabouts.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Art and the Modern World, 1925
He mocks bureaucratic preservation of trivial medieval artifacts, deeming them irrelevant to contemporary life.
In simple terms: Critiques preserving pointless historical junk.
Key Takeaway
Question value of preserving irrelevant artifacts.
Themes
history
bureaucracy
critique
Mood
skeptical
ironic
Type
critical
historical
When to use this quote
- museums
- education
- policy making
Key Concepts
cultural relevance
archival practice
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should guide preservation?
- How does this affect cultural identity?
A Different Perspective
Preserving some artifacts can inform future generations.
