---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the makers, the paintings and…"
description: "\"“For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions, not representations of visions.”\" — James David Lewis-Williams"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg"
---

#  For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions…

![“For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions, not representations of visions.” quote by James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg)

> ““For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions, not representations of visions.””

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote suggests that artists create works that embody internal experiences or ideas rather than merely depicting external reality.

**In simple terms:** Art as internal vision

Key Takeaway

Art expresses inner experience

Themes

Artistic perception Subjectivity Creativity Representation Vision Symbolism

Mood

Reflective Introspective Aesthetic

Type

Philosophical Interpretive Observational

When to use this quote

- Analyzing abstract paintings
- Discussing art theory
- Teaching visual arts
- Curating exhibitions

Key Concepts

Visionary art Subjective experience Creative process

Practical Applications

- Art criticism
- Educational curricula

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this view change our interpretation of art?
- What distinguishes a vision from a representation?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Upper-palaeolithic-art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upper-palaeolithic-art/)

## Related quotes

> [Editions made sense when people worked with engravings where the plate wore down as prints were made. An early number of the edition had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-uelsmann/editions-made-sense-when-people-worked-with-engravings-where-the/)

[Jerry Uelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-uelsmann/)

> [The soft engravings which adorn the annuals give no idea of a stream in such a wilderness as this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-soft-engravings-which-adorn-the-annuals-give-no-idea-of-a-stream/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“THREE FAMOUS ENGRAVINGS depict Alexis St. Martin in his youth. I’ve seen them many times, in biographies of his surgeon William Beaumont, in Beaumont’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/three-famous-engravings-depict-alexis-st-martin-in-his-youth-i-ve/)

[Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/)

> [“Beyle's advice is not to purchase engravings of fine views and prospects seen on one's travels, since before very long they will displace our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald-2/beyle-s-advice-is-not-to-purchase-engravings-of-fine-views-and/)

[W.G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald-2/)

> [“Art was not simply a foregone conclusion, the final link in a causal chain. It was not the inevitable outcome of an evolving ‘aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/art-was-not-simply-a-foregone-conclusion-the-final-link-in-a-causal/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Primary consciousness is a state of being aware of things in the world – of having mental images in the present.But it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/primary-consciousness-is-a-state-of-being-aware-of-things-in-the/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Under certain social circumstances, which may have varied from time to time and place to place, certain people (shamans) saw a relationship between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/under-certain-social-circumstances-which-may-have-varied-from-time-to/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Improved memory made possible the long-term recollection of dreams and visions and the construction of those recollections into a spirit world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/improved-memory-made-possible-the-long-term-recollection-of-dreams/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The first point to notice is that the Transition cannot be explained by climatic change alone: human change was not the direct result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-first-point-to-notice-is-that-the-transition-cannot-be-explained/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Perhaps the most striking feature of the west European Upper Palaeolithic, one on which many writers comment, is a sharp increase in the rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/perhaps-the-most-striking-feature-of-the-west-european-upper/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The picture of change in human society that emerges from this recent research throws new light on that aspect of the Transition that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-picture-of-change-in-human-society-that-emerges-from-this-recent/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“To understand the ‘wounded men’ of Upper Palaeolithic art, I now consider somatic hallucinations; these include attenuation of the body and limbs, polymelia (having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/to-understand-the-wounded-men-of-upper-palaeolithic-art-i-now/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“I suggest that the type of consciousness – not merely the degree of intelligence – that Neanderthals possessed was different in important respects from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/i-suggest-that-the-type-of-consciousness-not-merely-the-degree-of/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The principal aim of a vision quest is to ‘see’ a spirit animal that will become the quester’s animal-helper and source of his power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-principal-aim-of-a-vision-quest-is-to-see-a-spirit-animal-that/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“I now argue that entry into Upper Palaeolithic caves was probably seen as virtually indistinguishable from entry into the mental vortex that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/i-now-argue-that-entry-into-upper-palaeolithic-caves-was-probably/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

## More by James David Lewis-Williams

> [“I now argue that entry into Upper Palaeolithic caves was probably seen as virtually indistinguishable from entry into the mental vortex that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/i-now-argue-that-entry-into-upper-palaeolithic-caves-was-probably/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The principal aim of a vision quest is to ‘see’ a spirit animal that will become the quester’s animal-helper and source of his power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-principal-aim-of-a-vision-quest-is-to-see-a-spirit-animal-that/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“I suggest that the type of consciousness – not merely the degree of intelligence – that Neanderthals possessed was different in important respects from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/i-suggest-that-the-type-of-consciousness-not-merely-the-degree-of/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“To understand the ‘wounded men’ of Upper Palaeolithic art, I now consider somatic hallucinations; these include attenuation of the body and limbs, polymelia (having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/to-understand-the-wounded-men-of-upper-palaeolithic-art-i-now/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The picture of change in human society that emerges from this recent research throws new light on that aspect of the Transition that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-picture-of-change-in-human-society-that-emerges-from-this-recent/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Perhaps the most striking feature of the west European Upper Palaeolithic, one on which many writers comment, is a sharp increase in the rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/perhaps-the-most-striking-feature-of-the-west-european-upper/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The first point to notice is that the Transition cannot be explained by climatic change alone: human change was not the direct result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-first-point-to-notice-is-that-the-transition-cannot-be-explained/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The world’s oldest ‘art’ (77,000 years old) comes from Blombos Cave on the southern coast of South Africa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-world-s-oldest-art-77-000-years-old-comes-from-blombos-cave-on/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Improved memory made possible the long-term recollection of dreams and visions and the construction of those recollections into a spirit world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/improved-memory-made-possible-the-long-term-recollection-of-dreams/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Under certain social circumstances, which may have varied from time to time and place to place, certain people (shamans) saw a relationship between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/under-certain-social-circumstances-which-may-have-varied-from-time-to/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Primary consciousness is a state of being aware of things in the world – of having mental images in the present.But it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/primary-consciousness-is-a-state-of-being-aware-of-things-in-the/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Art was not simply a foregone conclusion, the final link in a causal chain. It was not the inevitable outcome of an evolving ‘aesthetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/art-was-not-simply-a-foregone-conclusion-the-final-link-in-a-causal/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Once human beings had developed higher-order consciousness, they had the ability to see mental images projected onto surfaces and to experience afterimages.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/once-human-beings-had-developed-higher-order-consciousness-they-had/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“The ‘wounded men’ may, I argue, represent a form of shamanistic suffering, ‘death’ and initiation that was closely associated with somatic hallucinati”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/the-wounded-men-may-i-argue-represent-a-form-of-shamanistic-suffering/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

> [“Certainly, the sensory deprivation afforded by the remote, silent and totally dark chambers, such as the Diverticule of the Felines in Lascaux and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/certainly-the-sensory-deprivation-afforded-by-the-remote-silent-and/)

[James David Lewis-Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

[Explore all 46 James David Lewis-Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/)

## More Artist quotes

> [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/)

[Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/)

> [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/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/)

[Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/)

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

Taf Teh

> [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/)

[St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

> [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/)

[Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/)

> [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/)

[Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/)

> [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/)

[Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/)

> [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/)

[Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/)

[Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions, not representations of visions.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James David Lewis-Williams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravings-were-visions-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Artist"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravings-were-visions-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/james-david-lewis-williams-144_artist_for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravi_36228.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For the makers, the paintings and engravings were visions, not representations of visions.” — James David Lewis-Williams",
                "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": "James David Lewis-Williams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-david-lewis-williams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“For the makers, the paintings and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravings-were-visions-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-lewis-williams/for-the-makers-the-paintings-and-engravings-were-visions-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
