--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Originality is what distinguishes art…" description: "\"Originality is what distinguishes art from craft. It is the yardstick of artistic greatness.\" — H. W. Janson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/h-w-janson-92662_art_originality-is-what-distinguishes-art-fr_289240.jpg" --- # Originality is what distinguishes art from craft. It is… ![“Originality is what distinguishes art from craft. It is the yardstick of artistic greatness.” quote by H. W. Janson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/h-w-janson-92662_art_originality-is-what-distinguishes-art-fr_289240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/h-w-janson-92662_art_originality-is-what-distinguishes-art-fr_289240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/223/h-w-janson-92662_art_originality-is-what-distinguishes-art-fr_289240.jpg) > “Originality is what distinguishes art from craft. It is the yardstick of artistic greatness.” [H. W. Janson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-janson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Originality separates art from craft and defines artistic greatness **In simple terms:** Original work distinguishes art from craft Key Takeaway Cultivate unique expression Themes art originality creativity craft greatness expression Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - art education - design practice - gallery curation - personal projects Key Concepts aesthetic theory creative process cultural value Questions to Reflect On - How do we evaluate originality in a collaborative field? - Can craft ever achieve artistic greatness? A Different Perspective Originality can be subjective, not absolute ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Artistic Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic-greatness-1262344/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Distinguishes Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguishes-art-1262343/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Originality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originality/) [Originality Distinguishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originality-distinguishes-2786195/) [Yardsticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yardsticks/) ## Related quotes > [Originality, then, ultimately distinguishes art from craft. We may say, therefore, that it is the yardstick of artistic greatness or importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-janson/originality-then-ultimately-distinguishes-art-from-craft-we-may-say/) [H. W. Janson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-janson/) > [I think there's one thing which distinguishes our art - we don't consider. We don't think. We write a little verse because it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/i-think-there-s-one-thing-which-distinguishes-our-art-we-don-t/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [“What distinguishes art from such undertaker's business is that life's closeness to death is its theme, not its addiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald-2/what-distinguishes-art-from-such-undertaker-s-business-is-that-life-s/) [W.G. 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W. Janson > [Originality, then, ultimately distinguishes art from craft. We may say, therefore, that it is the yardstick of artistic greatness or importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-janson/originality-then-ultimately-distinguishes-art-from-craft-we-may-say/) [H. W. Janson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-janson/) [Explore all 2 H. W. Janson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-janson/) ## 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. 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