--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The width of a line may present the idea…" description: "\"The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. In the same way, a small picture format may be much more living, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/hans-hofmann-11062_awakening_the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea_306926.jpg" --- # The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An… ![“The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. In the same way, a small picture format may be much more living, much more leavening, stirring, awakening, than square yards of wall space.” quote by Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/hans-hofmann-11062_awakening_the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea_306926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/hans-hofmann-11062_awakening_the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea_306926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a10/hans-hofmann-11062_awakening_the-width-of-a-line-may-present-the-idea_306926.jpg) > “The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. In the same way, a small picture format may be much more living, much more leavening, stirring, awakening, than square yards of wall space.” [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A brief line or image can suggest endless possibilities, often more vivid than large spaces. **In simple terms:** Small forms can convey vast ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace concise expression. Themes creativity perception scale Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - art criticism - design - teaching - advertising - interior decoration Key Concepts minimalism infinite potential visual metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How can you use brevity to enhance impact? - When does detail become distraction? A Different Perspective Large formats may overwhelm and dilute focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awakening/) [Epigram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigram/) [Epigrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epigrams/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Infinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinity/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Stirring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stirring/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Many a survivor of a plane crash who is or was against cannibalism and had never eaten human flesh once found themselves in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-a-survivor-of-a-plane-crash-who-is-or-was-against-cannibalism/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A maid’s yard, house, wardrobe, fridge, etc. sometimes also serve as her master’s dustbin or dumpsite.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-maid-s-yard-house-wardrobe-fridge-etc-sometimes-also-serve-as-her/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I summed up all systems in a phrase, and all existence in an epigram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-summed-up-all-systems-in-a-phrase-and-all-existence-in-an-epigram/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Some learned writers . . . have compared a Scorpion to an Epigram . . . because as the sting of the Scorpion lyeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-topsell/some-learned-writers-have-compared-a-scorpion-to-an-epigram-because/) [Edward Topsell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-topsell/) > [“Most sane human beings’ chances of being alive in a thousand years’ time are a hundred times higher than their chances of being sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-chances-of-being-alive-in-a-thousand-years/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Some people who have been working out regularly for months or even years are still out of shape because the number of cheat days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-who-have-been-working-out-regularly-for-months-or-even/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Some people would have killed themselves and/or someone else if they were single; and some people would not have done that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-would-have-killed-themselves-and-or-someone-else-if-they/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I am mistaken if a single epigram included fails to preserve at least some faint thrill of the emotion through which it had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-quiller-couch/i-am-mistaken-if-a-single-epigram-included-fails-to-preserve-at-least/) [Arthur Quiller-Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-quiller-couch/) > [“Millions of business people are each constantly forced to choose between their desire to not be a bad person and their desire to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/millions-of-business-people-are-each-constantly-forced-to-choose/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Most human beings would have never been pained by the death of a human being if they had never seen a human being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-human-beings-would-have-never-been-pained-by-the-death-of-a/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“An expensive coffin does not decrease the deceased’s chances of going to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/an-expensive-coffin-does-not-decrease-the-deceased-s-chances-of-going/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“The world economy would collapse if a significant number of people were to realize and then act on the realization that it is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/the-world-economy-would-collapse-if-a-significant-number-of-people/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Hans Hofmann > [The impulse of nature, fused through the personality of the artist by laws arising from the particular nature of the medium, produces the rhythm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-impulse-of-nature-fused-through-the-personality-of-the-artist-by/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [The art of pictorial creation is so complicated - it is so astronomical in its possibilities of relation and combination that it would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-art-of-pictorial-creation-is-so-complicated-it-is-so-astronomical/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [The general misunderstanding of a work of art is often due to the fact that the key to its spiritual content and technical means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-general-misunderstanding-of-a-work-of-art-is-often-due-to-the/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [It takes intelligence and training, self-discipline and fine-sensibility, to gain renewed life through leisure occupation. 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A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/a-thing-in-itself-never-expresses-anything-it-is-the-relation-between/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [Genius is gifted with a vitality which is expended in the enrichment of life through the discovery of new worlds of feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/genius-is-gifted-with-a-vitality-which-is-expended-in-the-enrichment/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-whole-world-as-we-experience-it-visually-comes-to-us-through-the/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [I can't understand how anyone is able to paint without optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/i-can-t-understand-how-anyone-is-able-to-paint-without-optimism/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [To worship the product and ignore its development leads to dilettantism and reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/to-worship-the-product-and-ignore-its-development-leads-to/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [The creative process lies not in imitating, but in paralleling nature - translating the impulse received from nature into the medium of expression, thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-creative-process-lies-not-in-imitating-but-in-paralleling-nature/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [To me, art is the glorification of the human spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/to-me-art-is-the-glorification-of-the-human-spirit/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [Nature's purpose in relation to the visual arts is to provide stimulus not imitation. From its ceaseless urge to create springs all Life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/nature-s-purpose-in-relation-to-the-visual-arts-is-to-provide/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [A thought functions only as a fragmentary part in the formulation of an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/a-thought-functions-only-as-a-fragmentary-part-in-the-formulation-of/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) > [The impressionistic method leads into a complete splitting and dissolution of all areas involved in the composition, and color is used to create an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-hofmann/the-impressionistic-method-leads-into-a-complete-splitting-and/) [Hans Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) [Explore all 62 Hans Hofmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-hofmann/) ## More Awakening quotes > [It is natural that our minds replay old stories, because that is our own mechanism for trying to work out unresolved problems. Yet rerunning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/it-is-natural-that-our-minds-replay-old-stories-because-that-is-our/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [Imitation is the first instinct of the awakening mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/imitation-is-the-first-instinct-of-the-awakening-mind/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [“Low states are a like a poison to the psyche. Millions of people throughout the world take tranquillizers each day to combat depression, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belsebuub/low-states-are-a-like-a-poison-to-the-psyche-millions-of-people/) [Belsebuub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belsebuub/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [My political awakening, if I can be as grand as to call it that, was all about what was happening around me. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/my-political-awakening-if-i-can-be-as-grand-as-to-call-it-that-was/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [How often have you sailed in my dreams. And now you come in my awakening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-often-have-you-sailed-in-my-dreams-and-now-you-come-in-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) Sindiwe Magona > [I feel there is a great spiritual awakening on the planet right now. More than any previous time, people are drawn to meditation, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/i-feel-there-is-a-great-spiritual-awakening-on-the-planet-right-now/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [When I was 20 years old, I got cast in 'Spring Awakening' and got swept up in this experience where it was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/when-i-was-20-years-old-i-got-cast-in-spring-awakening-and-got-swept/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [Motivation is awakening own mind and Inspiration is arising spirit in others to find their own with their heart and soul in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/motivation-is-awakening-own-mind-and-inspiration-is-arising-spirit-in/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [Life is perhaps best regarded as a bad dream between two awakenings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/life-is-perhaps-best-regarded-as-a-bad-dream-between-two-awakenings/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [“The Illusion - The source of suffering can be linked back to a condition of the mind that creates the illusion of separation--the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-blanchard/the-illusion-the-source-of-suffering-can-be-linked-back-to-a/) L.M.Blanchard [Browse all 1,440 Awakening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awakening/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The width of a line may present the idea of infinity. An epigram may contain a world. 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