--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's that same quality I've been talking…" description: "\"It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's neither contrived, nor surprising and smart, not baffling, not witty, not interesting, not cynical..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg" --- # It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's… ![“It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's neither contrived, nor surprising and smart, not baffling, not witty, not interesting, not cynical, it can't be planned and it probably can't even be described. It's just good.” quote by Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg) > “It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's neither contrived, nor surprising and smart, not baffling, not witty, not interesting, not cynical, it can't be planned and it probably can't even be described. It's just good.” [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True quality is effortless, unplanned, and simply good without needing cleverness. **In simple terms:** Simple, unforced goodness is valuable. Key Takeaway Value authenticity over forced cleverness. Themes authenticity art simplicity Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - creative work - personal expression - design critique - teaching art Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy creativity Questions to Reflect On - What does “good” feel like to you? - How can you recognize unforced quality? A Different Perspective May be dismissed as vague without concrete examples. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Good art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-art/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [Good art in general aspires to something, as a good painting aspires to something, almost spiritual or holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/good-art-in-general-aspires-to-something-as-a-good-painting-aspires/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Above all, it's never blind chance: it's a chance that is always planned, but also always surprising. And I need it in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/above-all-it-s-never-blind-chance-it-s-a-chance-that-is-always/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [There's no way of knowing that your last good day is Your Last Good Day. At the time, it is just another good day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/there-s-no-way-of-knowing-that-your-last-good-day-is-your-last-good/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I don't like hockey. I'm just good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-hull/i-don-t-like-hockey-i-m-just-good-at-it/) [Brett Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-hull/) > [I think it's just being good every single day and being there for my teammates. I know that I can't do it alone, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/i-think-it-s-just-being-good-every-single-day-and-being-there-for-my/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [Something I try to instill in others is to just be a good person. It's a decision you make a million times a day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-the-rapper/something-i-try-to-instill-in-others-is-to-just-be-a-good-person-it-s/) [Chance The Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-the-rapper/) > [Progress is often just a good idea away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/progress-is-often-just-a-good-idea-away/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [There's no need to overwhelm yourself with thoughts, because you know that you're just as good or better than some of the players you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobi-jones/there-s-no-need-to-overwhelm-yourself-with-thoughts-because-you-know/) [Cobi Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobi-jones/) > [The most important thing is to just be good at what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/the-most-important-thing-is-to-just-be-good-at-what-you-do/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [I always tell myself every day, I'm just as good as anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-rozier/i-always-tell-myself-every-day-i-m-just-as-good-as-anybody/) [Terry Rozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-rozier/) > [The Constitution: it's not just a good idea, it's the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-badnarik/the-constitution-it-s-not-just-a-good-idea-it-s-the-law/) [Michael Badnarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-badnarik/) > [Sometimes its just good to be alone, in the silent, and enjoy it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/sometimes-its-just-good-to-be-alone-in-the-silent-and-enjoy-it/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Winning is just such a good feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-fleetwood/winning-is-just-such-a-good-feeling/) [Tommy Fleetwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-fleetwood/) > [I'm a fan boy when it comes to Michael Buble. He's just so good at 'it'. He's got a voice of this generation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/i-m-a-fan-boy-when-it-comes-to-michael-buble-he-s-just-so-good-at-it/) [Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/) > [There are a lot of stuff on the record that I am thinking is generic but actually it is just as good as everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/there-are-a-lot-of-stuff-on-the-record-that-i-am-thinking-is-generic/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) ## More by Gerhard Richter > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [They are specific places I have discovered here and there when I am on the road to take photos. I go especially to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/they-are-specific-places-i-have-discovered-here-and-there-when-i-am/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [To me, grey is the welcome and only possible equivalent for indifference, noncommitment, absence of opinion, absence of shape. But grey, like formlessness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/to-me-grey-is-the-welcome-and-only-possible-equivalent-for/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Now that we do not have priests and philosophers any more, artists are the most important people in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/now-that-we-do-not-have-priests-and-philosophers-any-more-artists-are/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Yes, we were amazed when that happened. It was a real joke to us. Konrad Lueg and I did a Happening, and we used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/yes-we-were-amazed-when-that-happened-it-was-a-real-joke-to-us-konrad/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [A work of art is itself an object, first of all, and so manipulation is unavoidable: it's a prerequisite. But I needed the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/a-work-of-art-is-itself-an-object-first-of-all-and-so-manipulation-is/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [The photograph is the only picture that can truly convey information, even if it is technically faulty and the object can barely be identified.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/the-photograph-is-the-only-picture-that-can-truly-convey-information/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Perhaps the choice is a negative one, in that I was trying to avoid everything that touched on well-known issues - or any issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/perhaps-the-choice-is-a-negative-one-in-that-i-was-trying-to-avoid/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Gray is the color... the most important of all... absent of opinion, nothing, neither/nor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/gray-is-the-color-the-most-important-of-all-absent-of-opinion-nothing/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [All photographs are far more important than any painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/all-photographs-are-far-more-important-than-any-painting/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [You can compare it to dreams: you have a very specific and individual pictorial language that you either accept or that you can translate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/you-can-compare-it-to-dreams-you-have-a-very-specific-and-individual/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [What attracted me about my mirrors was the idea of having nothing manipulated in them. A piece of bought mirror. Just hung there, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/what-attracted-me-about-my-mirrors-was-the-idea-of-having-nothing/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [But it is also untrue that I have nothing specific in mind. As with my landscapes: I see countless landscapes, photograph barely 1 in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/but-it-is-also-untrue-that-i-have-nothing-specific-in-mind-as-with-my/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [My landscapes are not only beautiful or nostalgic, with a Romantic or classical suggestion of lost Paradises, but above all 'untruthful'...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/my-landscapes-are-not-only-beautiful-or-nostalgic-with-a-romantic-or/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [I have always been structured. What has changed is the proportions. Now it is eight hours of paperwork and one of painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-have-always-been-structured-what-has-changed-is-the-proportions-now/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) [Explore all 176 Gerhard Richter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) ## 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": "It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's neither contrived, nor surprising and smart, not baffling, not witty, not interesting, not cynical, it can't be planned and it probably can't even be described. It's just good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gerhard Richter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking-about-it-s-neither-contrived/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking-about-it-s-neither-contrived/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbf/gerhard-richter-2249_art_it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking_1210560.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's that same quality I've been talking about. It's neither contrived, nor surprising and smart, not…” — Gerhard Richter", "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": "Gerhard Richter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's that same quality I've been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking-about-it-s-neither-contrived/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/it-s-that-same-quality-i-ve-been-talking-about-it-s-neither-contrived/#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 } } ] } ```