Darkness Quote by Georges Rodenbach
““Bartholomeus went on, 'I wanted to show that these objects are sensitive, suffer at the coming of night, faint at the departure of the last rays, which, by the way, also live in this room; they suffer as much, they fight against the darkness. There you have it. It's the life of things, if you like. The French would call it a nature morte, a picture of inanimate objects. That is not what I'm trying to show. Flemish puts it better: a still life.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola, 1867
The quote reflects on how inanimate objects seem to possess a hidden vitality, reacting to light and darkness, suggesting that still life captures an unseen struggle against oblivion.
In simple terms: Objects appear alive, reacting to light and dark.
Key Takeaway
Observe the subtle life in everyday things.
Themes
perception
art
existence
light
darkness
Mood
contemplative
poetic
Type
artistic
reflective
When to use this quote
- museum observation
- photography
- interior design
- creative writing
- mindfulness
Key Concepts
Phenomenology
aesthetic
ontological
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you notice life in the mundane?
- What does darkness symbolize in your perception?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑anthropomorphize objects, ignoring their true inert nature.
