--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When man resolved to imitate walking, he…" description: "\"When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/guillaume-apollinaire-10109_doe_when-man-resolved-to-imitate-walking-he_2424448.jpg" --- # When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the… ![“When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.” quote by Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/guillaume-apollinaire-10109_doe_when-man-resolved-to-imitate-walking-he_2424448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/guillaume-apollinaire-10109_doe_when-man-resolved-to-imitate-walking-he_2424448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94b/guillaume-apollinaire-10109_doe_when-man-resolved-to-imitate-walking-he_2424448.jpg) > “When man resolved to imitate walking, he invented the wheel, which does not look like a leg. In doing this, he was practicing surrealism without knowing it.” [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans often create inventions that diverge from natural forms, unintentionally embodying artistic concepts. **In simple terms:** Invention can be unintentionally artistic. Key Takeaway Recognize creativity in everyday problem solving. Themes creativity innovation art technology Mood playful reflective Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - engineering - artistic expression - product design - historical analysis Key Concepts surrealism design thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does unintended artistry influence design? - Can function become art? A Different Perspective Not all inventions are purposeful art; intent matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Surrealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrealism/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe my caveman ancestors invented the wheel or something. I'm not sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fraser/maybe-my-caveman-ancestors-invented-the-wheel-or-something-i-m-not/) [Brendan Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fraser/) > [I know we should aspire to be higher philosophical beings, contemplating the universe and becoming more refined humans, but if all we did was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/i-know-we-should-aspire-to-be-higher-philosophical-beings/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [“It wasn’t only the Lorites who said that is not a new result. People re-invented the wheel all the time. There was nothing shameful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-wasn-t-only-the-lorites-who-said-that-is-not-a-new-result-people/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [From the time we began to build houses and cities, since we invented the wheel, we have not advanced one step toward happiness. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giono/from-the-time-we-began-to-build-houses-and-cities-since-we-invented/) [Jean Giono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giono/) > [We humans are great at creating tools with unforeseen consequences. For instance, when we invented the wheel, we had no way of knowing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/we-humans-are-great-at-creating-tools-with-unforeseen-consequences/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [Humans have always used our intelligence and creativity to improve our existence. After all, we invented the wheel, discovered how to make fire, invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/humans-have-always-used-our-intelligence-and-creativity-to-improve/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Ever since we invented fire and the wheel, we've been demonstrating both our ability and our inherent desire to fix things that we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/ever-since-we-invented-fire-and-the-wheel-we-ve-been-demonstrating/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [I bet what happend was, they discovered fire and invented the wheel on the same day. Then, that night, they burned the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-bet-what-happend-was-they-discovered-fire-and-invented-the-wheel-on/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Imagination is a very precise thing, you know - it is not fantasy; the man who invented the wheel while he was observing another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lipchitz/imagination-is-a-very-precise-thing-you-know-it-is-not-fantasy-the/) [Jacques Lipchitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lipchitz/) > [The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-caesar/the-guy-who-invented-the-first-wheel-was-an-idiot-the-guy-who/) [Sid Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-caesar/) > [I'm lazy. 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If it resembles nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-gilot/we-mustn-t-be-afraid-of-inventing-anything-everething-there-is-in-us/) [Francoise Gilot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-gilot/) > [Just scratched my butthole with the corner of the couch and now I know exactly how the dude felt when he invented the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/just-scratched-my-butthole-with-the-corner-of-the-couch-and-now-i/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The greatest inventors are unknown to us. Someone invented the wheel - but who?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-greatest-inventors-are-unknown-to-us-someone-invented-the-wheel/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## More by Guillaume Apollinaire > [One day One day I waited for myself I said to myself Guillaume it's time you came So I could know just who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/one-day-one-day-i-waited-for-myself-i-said-to-myself-guillaume-it-s/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Without poets, without artists, men would soon weary of nature's monotony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/without-poets-without-artists-men-would-soon-weary-of-nature-s/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Now and then it is good to just pause in our pursuit of happiness and be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/now-and-then-it-is-good-to-just-pause-in-our-pursuit-of-happiness-and/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [A structure becomes architectural, and not sculptural, when its elements no longer have their justification in nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/a-structure-becomes-architectural-and-not-sculptural-when-its/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [“Six mirrors keep staring at one another ("Monday rue Christine")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/six-mirrors-keep-staring-at-one-another-monday-rue-christine/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [I don't want to work. I want to smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/i-don-t-want-to-work-i-want-to-smoke/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Cubism is the art of depicting new wholes with formal elements borrowed not only from the reality of vision, but from that of conception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/cubism-is-the-art-of-depicting-new-wholes-with-formal-elements/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [“Automn ill and adored You die when the hurricane blows in the roseries When it has snowed In the orchard trees Poor automn Dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/automn-ill-and-adored-you-die-when-the-hurricane-blows-in-the/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [The plastic virtues: purity, unity, and truth, keep nature in subjection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/the-plastic-virtues-purity-unity-and-truth-keep-nature-in-subjection/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Paint with whatever material you please - with pipes, postage stamps, postcards or playing cards, painted paper, or newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/paint-with-whatever-material-you-please-with-pipes-postage-stamps/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Memories are hunting horns whose sound dies on the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/memories-are-hunting-horns-whose-sound-dies-on-the-wind/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [Geometry is to the plastic arts what grammar is to the art of the writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/geometry-is-to-the-plastic-arts-what-grammar-is-to-the-art-of-the/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [“Oh Paris From red to green all the yellow dies away Paris Vancouver Hyeres Maintenon New York and the Antilles The window opens like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-apollinaire/oh-paris-from-red-to-green-all-the-yellow-dies-away-paris-vancouver/) [Guillaume Apollinaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-apollinaire/) > [The new painters do not propose, any more than did their predecessors, to be geometers. 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