--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always sought to be understood…" description: "\"I have always sought to be understood and, while I was taken to task by critics or colleagues, I thought they were right, assuming I had not been clear..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/henri-matisse-1641_anger_i-have-always-sought-to-be-understood-an_2763903.jpg" --- # I have always sought to be understood and, while I was… ![“I have always sought to be understood and, while I was taken to task by critics or colleagues, I thought they were right, assuming I had not been clear enough to be understood. This assumption allowed me to work my whole life without hatred and even without bitterness toward criticism, regardless…” quote by Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/henri-matisse-1641_anger_i-have-always-sought-to-be-understood-an_2763903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/henri-matisse-1641_anger_i-have-always-sought-to-be-understood-an_2763903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c46/henri-matisse-1641_anger_i-have-always-sought-to-be-understood-an_2763903.jpg) > “I have always sought to be understood and, while I was taken to task by critics or colleagues, I thought they were right, assuming I had not been clear enough to be understood. This assumption allowed me to work my whole life without hatred and even without bitterness toward criticism, regardless of its source. I counted solely on the clarity of expression of my work to gain my ends. Hatred, rancor, and the spirit of vengeance are useless baggage to the artist. His road is difficult enough for him to cleanse his soul of everything which could make it more so.” [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed clear expression avoids resentment, letting criticism be a tool rather than a source of bitterness. **In simple terms:** Clear expression prevents bitterness from criticism. Key Takeaway Focus on clarity, not anger. Themes art criticism clarity emotional health creativity Mood reflective calm determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Artist confronting feedback - daily creative work - teaching art - managing criticism Key Concepts Self-awareness emotional intelligence artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure your work is understood? - What habits help you stay free of bitterness? A Different Perspective Neglecting clarity can still cause misunderstanding despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Assuming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assuming/) [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Baggage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baggage/) [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Colleagues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colleagues/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Ends Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends-hatred-2754363/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Fine arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine-arts/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Great art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-art/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-bitterness-1141763/) [Rancor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rancor/) [Sought Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sought-understood-3190321/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Tasks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tasks/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Understood Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood-assumption-3190322/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) [Vengeance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vengeance/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-life/) ## Related quotes > [Hatred, rancor, and the spirit of vengeance are useless baggage to the artist. His road is difficult enough for him to cleanse his soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/hatred-rancor-and-the-spirit-of-vengeance-are-useless-baggage-to-the/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [Let us not forget such words, and all they mean, as hatred, bitterness, and rancor greed, intolerance, bigotry; let us renew our faith and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/let-us-not-forget-such-words-and-all-they-mean-as-hatred-bitterness/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [“Hatred never ends through hatred. By non-hate alone does it end. This is an ancient truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hatred-never-ends-through-hatred-by-non-hate-alone-does-it-end-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I counted solely on the clarity of expression of my work to gain my ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-counted-solely-on-the-clarity-of-expression-of-my-work-to-gain-my/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [“Patriotism is not enough—I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone.” She”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/patriotism-is-not-enough-i-must-have-no-hatred-or-bitterness-for-2/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [“No force in the world can take from me my five hundred pounds. Food, house and clothing are mine forever.Therefore not merely do effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/no-force-in-the-world-can-take-from-me-my-five-hundred-pounds-food/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Forgiveness is far easier to grant than to grasp onto the hatred and bitterness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-bonney/forgiveness-is-far-easier-to-grant-than-to-grasp-onto-the-hatred-and/) [Nicole Bonney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-bonney/) > [“Patriotism is not enough—I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/patriotism-is-not-enough-i-must-have-no-hatred-or-bitterness-for/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [“I chose love over hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliette-st-hilaire/i-chose-love-over-hatred-bitterness-and-unforgiveness/) [Aliette St. Hilaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliette-st-hilaire/) > [IF WE WANT STOP HARVESTING DISUNITY THEN WE MUST STOP SOWING HATRED AND BITTERNESS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-ibiolorundun/if-we-want-stop-harvesting-disunity-then-we-must-stop-sowing-hatred/) [CORNELIUS IBIOLORUNDUN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-ibiolorundun/) > [“It is remarkable, remembering the bitterness of those days, what a change of temper a fixed income will bring about. No force in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-remarkable-remembering-the-bitterness-of-those-days-what-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Hatred and bitterness and anger only consume the vessel that contains them. It doesn't hurt another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubin-carter/hatred-and-bitterness-and-anger-only-consume-the-vessel-that-contains/) [Rubin Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubin-carter/) > [Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love harmonies it. Hatred darkens life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/hatred-and-bitterness-can-never-cure-the-disease-of-fear-only-love-2/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear; only love can do that. Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/hatred-and-bitterness-can-never-cure-the-disease-of-fear-only-love/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [He who harbors hatred and bitterness injures himself far more than the one towards whom he manifests these evil propensities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/he-who-harbors-hatred-and-bitterness-injures-himself-far-more-than/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) ## More by Henri Matisse > [The wall around the window does not create two worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-wall-around-the-window-does-not-create-two-worlds/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [Arrival = Prison, and the artist must never be a prisoner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/arrival-prison-and-the-artist-must-never-be-a-prisoner/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [To arrive is to be in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/to-arrive-is-to-be-in-prison/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [When I saw what a mess everything was in I asked for my money back on the ticket. I would have felt I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/when-i-saw-what-a-mess-everything-was-in-i-asked-for-my-money-back-on/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [A painting in an interior spreads joy around it by the colors, which calm us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/a-painting-in-an-interior-spreads-joy-around-it-by-the-colors-which/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [Color was not given to us in order that we should imitate Nature. It was given to us so that we can express our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/color-was-not-given-to-us-in-order-that-we-should-imitate-nature-it/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [If it is practiced by a man of taste, the photograph will have the appearance of art (but) the photographer must...intervene as little as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/if-it-is-practiced-by-a-man-of-taste-the-photograph-will-have-the/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I have always tried to hide my efforts and wished my works to have a light joyousness of springtime which never lets anyone suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-have-always-tried-to-hide-my-efforts-and-wished-my-works-to-have-a/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [The chief function of color should be to serve expression as well as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/the-chief-function-of-color-should-be-to-serve-expression-as-well-as/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [One gets into a state of creativity by conscious work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/one-gets-into-a-state-of-creativity-by-conscious-work/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [My pictures are made up of four or five colors that collide with one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/my-pictures-are-made-up-of-four-or-five-colors-that-collide-with-one/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [What I dream of is an art of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/what-i-dream-of-is-an-art-of-balance/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [...I am driven on by an idea that I really only grasp as it grows with the picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-am-driven-on-by-an-idea-that-i-really-only-grasp-as-it-grows-with/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I don't paint things. I only paint the difference between things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-don-t-paint-things-i-only-paint-the-difference-between-things/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [After a half-century of hard work and reflection the wall is still there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/after-a-half-century-of-hard-work-and-reflection-the-wall-is-still/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) [Explore all 219 Henri Matisse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always sought to be understood and, while I was taken to task by critics or colleagues, I thought they were right, assuming I had not been clear enough to be understood. This assumption allowed me to work my whole life without hatred and even without bitterness toward criticism, regardless of its source. I counted solely on the clarity of expression of my work to gain my ends. Hatred, rancor, and the spirit of vengeance are useless baggage to the artist. 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