--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is through the human figure that I…" description: "\"It is through the human figure that I best succeed in expressing the nearly religious feeling that I have towards life.\" — Henri Matisse" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg" --- # It is through the human figure that I best succeed in… ![“It is through the human figure that I best succeed in expressing the nearly religious feeling that I have towards life.” quote by Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg) > “It is through the human figure that I best succeed in expressing the nearly religious feeling that I have towards life.” [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. Art uses the human form to convey profound, almost sacred feelings about existence. **In simple terms:** I express life’s near‑religious feeling through the human figure. Key Takeaway Use figurative art to explore deep emotions. Themes art existence spirituality Mood contemplative inspired Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - gallery shows - art education - creative workshops Key Concepts humanism expressionism aesthetics Questions to Reflect On - How does the human figure evoke spirituality for you? - What other symbols could convey similar depth? A Different Perspective May not resonate with all viewers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Feeling Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-life/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nearly Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nearly-religious-1629900/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-feeling/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Succeed Expressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed-expressing-5256290/) ## Related quotes > [“There is a term for this phenomenon—politicomorphism, or “the divinization of earthly politics”—and it is, to this day, one of the central features of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/there-is-a-term-for-this-phenomenon-politicomorphism-or-the/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [“So Alex was counting the days until he would step on the holy soil of Boston, ready to breathe the cold Atlantic air and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sorbane/so-alex-was-counting-the-days-until-he-would-step-on-the-holy-soil-of/) [George Sorbane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sorbane/) > [It is the impulse of our century, with its nearly religious belief in magnitude, to fling an institution into every void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/it-is-the-impulse-of-our-century-with-its-nearly-religious-belief-in/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [I am unable to make any distinction between the feeling I get from life and the way I translate that feeling into painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-am-unable-to-make-any-distinction-between-the-feeling-i-get-from/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [I am unable to distinguish between the feeling I have for life and my way of expressing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-between-the-feeling-i-have-for-life-and-my/) [Henri Matisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/) > [A conviction akin to religious feeling of the rationality or intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a high order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-conviction-akin-to-religious-feeling-of-the-rationality-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Religious feeling is thus an absolute addition to the subject's range of life. 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I wouldn't separate the world of nature from the religious instinct...I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/there-is-no-deeper-religious-feeling-than-the-feeling-for-the-natural/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“religious feeling; but in Miss Brooke's case, religion alone would have determined it; and Celia mildly acquiesced in all her sister's sentiments, only infusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/religious-feeling-but-in-miss-brooke-s-case-religion-alone-would-have/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“In my view, it is the most important function of art and science to awaken this religious feeling and keep it alive in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/in-my-view-it-is-the-most-important-function-of-art-and-science-to/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## 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. 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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 Feeling quotes > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [Tryna hide this pain with these pain killers, she said the storms only will last a little while but shit it got me feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/tryna-hide-this-pain-with-these-pain-killers-she-said-the-storms-only/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Hate not knowing when things are going to happen feeling different every single day. It is called LIFE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-valdovinos/hate-not-knowing-when-things-are-going-to-happen-feeling-different/) [Stephanie Valdovinos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-valdovinos/) > [The best feeling comes when you realise, that you are perfectly happy without the things, once you thought you needed the most…!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-feeling-comes-when-you-realise-that-you-are-perfectly-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love transforming myself constantly because it gives me that 'new' feeling that I'm very much addicted to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-mondo/i-love-transforming-myself-constantly-because-it-gives-me-that-new/) [Brad Mondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-mondo/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [What I do miss that I don't get anymore? You're going to think I'm crazy, but you want the truth, so here it is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mandrell/what-i-do-miss-that-i-don-t-get-anymore-you-re-going-to-think-i-m/) [Barbara Mandrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mandrell/) > [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I don't think Alfonso was a big expert on Potter either. He was feeling his way through it more than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thewlis/i-don-t-think-alfonso-was-a-big-expert-on-potter-either-he-was/) [David Thewlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thewlis/) > [The most difficult part for me is feeling connected to the people that I love but always being on the go to different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-franti/the-most-difficult-part-for-me-is-feeling-connected-to-the-people/) [Michael Franti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-franti/) [Browse all 8,809 Feeling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is through the human figure that I best succeed in expressing the nearly religious feeling that I have towards life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Matisse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-best-succeed-in-expressing-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feeling" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-best-succeed-in-expressing-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/792/henri-matisse-1641_feeling_it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-be_3081183.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is through the human figure that I best succeed in expressing the nearly religious feeling that I have…” — Henri Matisse", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henri Matisse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-matisse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is through the human figure...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-best-succeed-in-expressing-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-matisse/it-is-through-the-human-figure-that-i-best-succeed-in-expressing-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```