Artist Quote by George Orwell
““Salvador Dalí’s aberrations are partly explicable. Perhaps they are a way of assuring himself that he is not commonplace. The two qualities that Dali unquestionably possesses are a gift for drawing and an atrocious egoism. ‘At seven’, he says in the first paragraph of his book, ‘I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.’ This is worded in a deliberately startling way, but no doubt it is substantially true. Such feelings are common enough. ‘I knew I was a genius’, somebody once said to me, ‘long before I knew what I was going to be a genius about.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Collected Essays, George Orwell, 1971
Dalí’s eccentricity serves to distance himself from mediocrity, driven by talent and a grandiose self‑image.
In simple terms: Dalí’s odd behavior shows his desire to be extraordinary.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how ego fuels creative ambition.
Themes
ego
creativity
ambition
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- personal branding
- self‑assessment
- career motivation
Key Concepts
psychology
self‑concept
artistic identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ego affect artistic collaboration?
- Can self‑importance hinder personal development?
A Different Perspective
His ego may blind him to collaborative growth.
