--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now that we do not have priests and…" description: "\"Now that we do not have priests and philosophers any more, artists are the most important people in the world.\" — Gerhard Richter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/gerhard-richter-2249_any_now-that-we-do-not-have-priests-and-phil_48847.jpg" --- # Now that we do not have priests and philosophers any more… ![“Now that we do not have priests and philosophers any more, artists are the most important people in the world.” quote by Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/gerhard-richter-2249_any_now-that-we-do-not-have-priests-and-phil_48847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/gerhard-richter-2249_any_now-that-we-do-not-have-priests-and-phil_48847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/731/gerhard-richter-2249_any_now-that-we-do-not-have-priests-and-phil_48847.jpg) > “Now that we do not have priests and philosophers any more, artists are the most important people in the world.” [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. Artists now shape cultural narratives and moral guidance in a secular world lacking traditional religious and philosophical authority. **In simple terms:** Artists as cultural leaders Key Takeaway Art fills the void of lost authority Themes cultural influence secularism leadership creativity societal values Mood thoughtful inspired Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - public discourse - education - media - community projects Key Concepts artistic responsibility moral guidance Practical Applications - cultural policy development - public art initiatives Questions to Reflect On - How does art influence public ethics? - What responsibilities arise for artists in this role? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Important people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Now there are no priests or philosophers left, artists are the most important people in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-there-are-no-priests-or-philosophers-left-artists-are-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All real philosophers have been artists in the realm of concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-steiner/all-real-philosophers-have-been-artists-in-the-realm-of-concepts/) [Rudolf Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-steiner/) > [“Now and then, in philosophers or artists, one finds a passionate and exaggerated worship of 'pure forms': no one should doubt that a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/now-and-then-in-philosophers-or-artists-one-finds-a-passionate-and/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [If cathedrals had been universities If dungeons of the Inquisition had been laboratories If Christians had believed in character instead of creed If they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-cathedrals-had-been-universities-if-dungeons-of-the-inquisition/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“The typical premodern ruler gave money to priests, philosophers and poets in the hope that they would legitimise his rule and maintain the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-typical-premodern-ruler-gave-money-to-priests-philosophers-and/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [I see my boys about 10 days every month. And, yes, they are the most important people in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arpad-busson/i-see-my-boys-about-10-days-every-month-and-yes-they-are-the-most/) [Arpad Busson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arpad-busson/) > [We all need to know how to cook. I can buy a chicken and have many meals come from it. Is it affordable? Yes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/we-all-need-to-know-how-to-cook-i-can-buy-a-chicken-and-have-many/) [Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/) > [We are trying to evoke and reinforce meanings from the spaces we cover and the times we're given. Short or long this becomes our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/we-are-trying-to-evoke-and-reinforce-meanings-from-the-spaces-we/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [No one could have ever prepared me for the whole world judging me and comparing to other artists. But what's most important is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tones-and-i/no-one-could-have-ever-prepared-me-for-the-whole-world-judging-me-and-2/) [Tones and I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tones-and-i/) > [As musicians and artists, it's important we have an environment - and I guess when I say environment, I really mean the industry, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/as-musicians-and-artists-it-s-important-we-have-an-environment-and-i/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [Artists are a very important part of our society because they make a great contribution to our values. The artist creates a value system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-decarava/artists-are-a-very-important-part-of-our-society-because-they-make-a/) [Roy DeCarava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-decarava/) > [I do know that for all the artists it's very important to speak in a vernacular that can be understood by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-do-know-that-for-all-the-artists-it-s-very-important-to-speak-in-a/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [I think I was probably an early teenager when I discovered Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and a bunch of people that are on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-peyroux/i-think-i-was-probably-an-early-teenager-when-i-discovered-bessie/) [Madeleine Peyroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-peyroux/) > [A lot of artists are much more concerned about how their work is used and how it's disseminated. That, to artists, is as important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-rosen/a-lot-of-artists-are-much-more-concerned-about-how-their-work-is-used/) [Hilary Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-rosen/) > [I think perhaps I've learned to be myself. I have a theory that all artists who would be important - painters and writers -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-fonteyn/i-think-perhaps-i-ve-learned-to-be-myself-i-have-a-theory-that-all/) [Margot Fonteyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-fonteyn/) ## 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/) > [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. 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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/) > [The smudging makes the paintings a bit more complete. When they're not blurred, so many details seem wrong, and the whole thing is wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/the-smudging-makes-the-paintings-a-bit-more-complete-when-they-re-not/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) [Explore all 176 Gerhard Richter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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