--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Man of Genius may at the same time…" description: "\"The Man of Genius may at the same time be, indeed is commonly, an Artist, but the two are not to be confounded. The Man of Genius,referred to mankind, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/henry-david-thoreau-20_artisans_the-man-of-genius-may-at-the-same-time-b_2431151.jpg" --- # The Man of Genius may at the same time be, indeed is… ![“The Man of Genius may at the same time be, indeed is commonly, an Artist, but the two are not to be confounded. The Man of Genius,referred to mankind, is an originator, an inspired or demonic man, who produces a perfect work in obedience to laws yet unexplored. The artist is he who detects and…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/henry-david-thoreau-20_artisans_the-man-of-genius-may-at-the-same-time-b_2431151.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/henry-david-thoreau-20_artisans_the-man-of-genius-may-at-the-same-time-b_2431151.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/henry-david-thoreau-20_artisans_the-man-of-genius-may-at-the-same-time-b_2431151.jpg) > “The Man of Genius may at the same time be, indeed is commonly, an Artist, but the two are not to be confounded. The Man of Genius,referred to mankind, is an originator, an inspired or demonic man, who produces a perfect work in obedience to laws yet unexplored. The artist is he who detects and applies the law from observation of the works of Genius, whether of man or nature. The Artisan is he who merely applies the rules which others have detected. There has been no man of pure Genius, as there has been none wholly destitute of Genius.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genius creates original, uncharted ideas; artists interpret and apply them; artisans follow established rules. **In simple terms:** Genius invents, artists interpret, artisans copy. Key Takeaway Recognize the distinct roles of creation, interpretation, and execution. Themes creativity interpretation skill originality artistry Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - writing - teaching - design - craftsmanship - innovation Key Concepts philosophy aesthetics epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between original insight and skilled adaptation? - When does imitation become innovation? A Different Perspective Genius may be mythologized, obscuring collaborative contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artisans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artisans/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Demonic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonic/) [Destitute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destitute/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genius Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-man-283018/) [Genius Referred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius-referred-283020/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [He man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he-man/) [Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Man Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-genius/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Originator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-originator-283021/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Originator Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originator-inspired-283022/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-work/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Unexplored](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexplored/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [Art is not tame, and Nature is not wild, in the ordinary sense. A perfect work of man's art would also be wild or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/art-is-not-tame-and-nature-is-not-wild-in-the-ordinary-sense-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“There was an artist in the city of Kouroo who was disposed to strive after perfection. One day it came into his mind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-was-an-artist-in-the-city-of-kouroo-who-was-disposed-to-strive/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A genius is a man who can rewrap a new shirt and not have any pins left over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dino-levi/a-genius-is-a-man-who-can-rewrap-a-new-shirt-and-not-have-any-pins/) [Dino Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dino-levi/) > [The genius of Man in our time has gone into jet-propulsion, atom-splitting, penicillin-curing, etc. There is none left over for works of imagination; of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/the-genius-of-man-in-our-time-has-gone-into-jet-propulsion-atom-2/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [“Talented man cannot do the work of a genius man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/talented-man-cannot-do-the-work-of-a-genius-man/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [There is a genius in every man and woman, waiting to be brought forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/there-is-a-genius-in-every-man-and-woman-waiting-to-be-brought-forth/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [It is not what talents or genius a man has, but how he is to his talents, that constitutes friendship and character. The man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-not-what-talents-or-genius-a-man-has-but-how-he-is-to-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The Athanasian Creed is the most splendid ecclesiastical lyric ever poured forth by the genius of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-athanasian-creed-is-the-most-splendid-ecclesiastical-lyric-ever/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The genius of a man capable of explaining religion seems to me to be of a higher order than that of a founder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-francois-dupuis/the-genius-of-a-man-capable-of-explaining-religion-seems-to-me-to-be/) [Charles-Francois Dupuis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-francois-dupuis/) > [In his scientific genius, man has wrought material miracles and has transformed his world. He has harnassed nature and has developed great civilizations. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/in-his-scientific-genius-man-has-wrought-material-miracles-and-has/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [The genius of Man in our time has gone into jet-propulsion, atom-splitting, penicillin-curing, etc. There is left none over for works of imagination; of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/the-genius-of-man-in-our-time-has-gone-into-jet-propulsion-atom/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [The genius is the man who has genuine and deep human relations with others, who does not cut himself off in the search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignacy-jan-paderewski/the-genius-is-the-man-who-has-genuine-and-deep-human-relations-with/) [Ignacy Jan Paderewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignacy-jan-paderewski/) > [“I never worried about the genius: genius takes care of the genius in a man. My concern was always for the nobody, the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-never-worried-about-the-genius-genius-takes-care-of-the-genius-in-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [A man of genius is not a man who sees more than other men do. On the contrary, it is very often found that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-of-genius-is-not-a-man-who-sees-more-than-other-men-do-on-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A genius is the man in whom you are least likely to find the power of attending to anything insipid or distasteful in itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/a-genius-is-the-man-in-whom-you-are-least-likely-to-find-the-power-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Artisans quotes > [Violence is fomented by the imposition of singular and belligerent identities on gullible people, championed by proficient artisans of terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/violence-is-fomented-by-the-imposition-of-singular-and-belligerent/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [The pride of the artisan in his art and its uses is pride in himself...It is in his skill and ability to make things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/the-pride-of-the-artisan-in-his-art-and-its-uses-is-pride-in-himself/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [Real artists find answers. The knowledge of the artisan is within the confines of his skills. For example, I know a lot about lenses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-kieslowski/real-artists-find-answers-the-knowledge-of-the-artisan-is-within-the/) [Krzysztof Kieslowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-kieslowski/) > [It is just the little touches after the average man would quit that make the master's fame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/it-is-just-the-little-touches-after-the-average-man-would-quit-that/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/not-stones-nor-wood-nor-the-art-of-artisans-make-a-state-but-where/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [An artisan without memories, whose only dream was to die of fatigue in the oblivion and misery of his little gold fishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/an-artisan-without-memories-whose-only-dream-was-to-die-of-fatigue-in/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [I have a kind of old-fashioned, artisan approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/i-have-a-kind-of-old-fashioned-artisan-approach/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [The artisan or scientist or the follower of whatever discipline who has the habit of comparing himself not with other followers but with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-leopardi/the-artisan-or-scientist-or-the-follower-of-whatever-discipline-who/) [Giacomo Leopardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-leopardi/) > [Fifty-seven percent of Americans are do-it-yourselfers, craftspeople, and artisans and makers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/fifty-seven-percent-of-americans-are-do-it-yourselfers-craftspeople/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [Anyone who has undergone home repair lately knows that your everyday artisan uses language so loosely and makes false promises so glibly as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcgrory/anyone-who-has-undergone-home-repair-lately-knows-that-your-everyday/) [Mary McGrory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcgrory/) > [Everywhere I go, I always look for creative entrepreneurs, whether it's artisans and craftsmen, small farmers and gardeners, or restaurateurs who use fresh, locally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/everywhere-i-go-i-always-look-for-creative-entrepreneurs-whether-it-s/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [There is a creative pleasure, which, for instance, the artisan in the Middle Ages, or in a country like Mexico, still today has -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/there-is-a-creative-pleasure-which-for-instance-the-artisan-in-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [You can gain experience, if you are careful to avoid empty redundancy. Do not fall into the error of the artisan who boasts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevanian/you-can-gain-experience-if-you-are-careful-to-avoid-empty-redundancy/) [Trevanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevanian/) > [Risk is what separates the artist from the artisan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/risk-is-what-separates-the-artist-from-the-artisan/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [We are a country of artisans and a country of manufacturing. I think Japanese textile technology is the best in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/we-are-a-country-of-artisans-and-a-country-of-manufacturing-i-think/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) [Browse all 75 Artisans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artisans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Man of Genius may at the same time be, indeed is commonly, an Artist, but the two are not to be confounded. The Man of Genius,referred to mankind, is an originator, an inspired or demonic man, who produces a perfect work in obedience to laws yet unexplored. The artist is he who detects and applies the law from observation of the works of Genius, whether of man or nature. The Artisan is he who merely applies the rules which others have detected. 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