--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The vast majority of English folk cannot…" description: "\"The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell.\" — James ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png" --- # The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not… ![“The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell.” quote by James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png) > “The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell.” [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many people see pictures only as illustrations for stories, not as independent artworks. **In simple terms:** People often view images only as story aids. Key Takeaway Recognize pictures as art in themselves. Themes art perception visual literacy interpretation Mood contemplative critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - gallery visits - education - media criticism - personal reflection Key Concepts Aesthetics semiotics Questions to Reflect On - How does context shape your view of an image? - Can a picture stand alone without narrative? A Different Perspective Not all viewers value visual art equally; cultural background influences perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The whole strength of England lies in the fact that the enormous majority of the English people are snobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-whole-strength-of-england-lies-in-the-fact-that-the-enormous/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [For the majority of English people there are only two religions, Roman Catholic, which is wrong, and the rest, which don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-cooper/for-the-majority-of-english-people-there-are-only-two-religions-roman/) [Duff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-cooper/) > [Hymn tunes are the nearest we've got to English folk music..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-betjeman/hymn-tunes-are-the-nearest-we-ve-got-to-english-folk-music/) [John Betjeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-betjeman/) > [There's not that much English folk music that is really that appealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-goldfrapp/there-s-not-that-much-english-folk-music-that-is-really-that-appealing/) [Alison Goldfrapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-goldfrapp/) > [Cornelius Cardew very famous in Britain, because he was the darling of the avant-garde, and he played in a band called AMM, which was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-maclean/cornelius-cardew-very-famous-in-britain-because-he-was-the-darling-of/) [Alasdair MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-maclean/) > [“Martin Carthy on English folk music: "I'm not interested in heritage - this stuff is alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/english-folk-musician-martin-carthy/martin-carthy-on-english-folk-music-i-m-not-interested-in-heritage/) English Folk musician Martin Carthy > [The vast majority of the online crime cases, we don't even know which continent the attacks are coming from. And even if we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/the-vast-majority-of-the-online-crime-cases-we-don-t-even-know-which/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [The vast majority of Greeks accept the need for reform and want to keep our country inside the euro zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangelos-venizelos/the-vast-majority-of-greeks-accept-the-need-for-reform-and-want-to/) [Evangelos Venizelos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangelos-venizelos/) > [Experience tells us that whereas that degree of recognition can happen for one or two actors, for the vast majority it doesn't, so what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mccabe/experience-tells-us-that-whereas-that-degree-of-recognition-can/) [Richard McCabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mccabe/) > [Africans are on the front lines of humanitarian efforts, distributing life-saving aid in dangerous environments. Africans comprise the vast majority of peacekeepers in civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prendergast/africans-are-on-the-front-lines-of-humanitarian-efforts-distributing/) [John Prendergast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prendergast/) > [The vast majority of my fan mail comes from older women and gay men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-fletcher/the-vast-majority-of-my-fan-mail-comes-from-older-women-and-gay-men/) [Kelvin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-fletcher/) > [Congressional staff members do have a considerable amount of responsibility. But in my experience, the loyalty of the vast majority of staffers to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harwood/congressional-staff-members-do-have-a-considerable-amount-of/) [John Harwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harwood/) > [I think the ideal way of living is to live like the vast majority of people whom we attempt to serve and represent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mujica/i-think-the-ideal-way-of-living-is-to-live-like-the-vast-majority-of/) [Jose Mujica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mujica/) > [The vast majority of debt that Anglo maintains is owed is strenuously disputed. However, I cannot now pay those loans which are due, following…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-quinn/the-vast-majority-of-debt-that-anglo-maintains-is-owed-is-strenuously/) [Sean Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-quinn/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by James Whistler > [Nature is very rarely right, to such an extent even, that it might almost be said that nature is usually wrong...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/nature-is-very-rarely-right-to-such-an-extent-even-that-it-might/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [I always ask at once, 'Do you drink?' and if she says 'No,' I bow politely and say I am sorry but I fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/i-always-ask-at-once-do-you-drink-and-if-she-says-no-i-bow-politely/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [Nature is usually wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/nature-is-usually-wrong/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [Mauve is just pink trying to be purple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/mauve-is-just-pink-trying-to-be-purple/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [Art is a goddess of dainty thought, reticent of habit, abjuring all obtrusiveness, purposing in no way to better others. She is, withal selfishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/art-is-a-goddess-of-dainty-thought-reticent-of-habit-abjuring-all/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [The world is divided into two classes - invalids and nurses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/the-world-is-divided-into-two-classes-invalids-and-nurses/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [An artist's career always begins tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/an-artist-s-career-always-begins-tomorrow/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [To say of a picture, as is often said in its praise, that it shows great and earnest labour, is to say that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/to-say-of-a-picture-as-is-often-said-in-its-praise-that-it-shows/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [It takes a long time for a man to look like his portrait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/it-takes-a-long-time-for-a-man-to-look-like-his-portrait/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [I can't tell you if genius is hereditary, because heaven has granted me no offspring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/i-can-t-tell-you-if-genius-is-hereditary-because-heaven-has-granted/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [I remember that at one time I always made a drawing before going to bed!! - Of myself I mean - though I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/i-remember-that-at-one-time-i-always-made-a-drawing-before-going-to/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [You shouldn't say it is not good. You should say, you do not like it; and then, you know, you're perfectly safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/you-shouldn-t-say-it-is-not-good-you-should-say-you-do-not-like-it/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight and the subject-matter has nothing to do with harmony of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/as-music-is-the-poetry-of-sound-so-is-painting-the-poetry-of-sight/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/an-artist-is-not-paid-for-his-labor-but-for-his-vision/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) > [As light fades and the shadows deepen, all petty and exacting details vanish, everything trivial disappears, and I see things as they are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/as-light-fades-and-the-shadows-deepen-all-petty-and-exacting-details/) [James Whistler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) [Explore all 45 James Whistler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/) ## More Majority quotes > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of Christians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-idea-that-this-world-is-a-playground-instead-of-a-battleground/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians do, to take counsel together, their purpose is not ( or should not be) to ascertain what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/ideally-when-christians-meet-as-christians-do-to-take-counsel/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Cricket, politics, and cinema is what a majority in our country are most passionate about. They have the power to divide the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-deverakonda/cricket-politics-and-cinema-is-what-a-majority-in-our-country-are/) [Vijay Deverakonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-deverakonda/) > [By the time any view becomes a majority view, it is no longer the best view: somebody will already have advanced beyond the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/by-the-time-any-view-becomes-a-majority-view-it-is-no-longer-the-best/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of local people will neither know all of the initiatives nor have any perception that the individual elements are beginning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-burrell/the-vast-majority-of-local-people-will-neither-know-all-of-the/) [Paul Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-burrell/) > [The majority of Arab people would side with Russia and China, not with the West. And they'd throw their 'elites' groomed in and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/the-majority-of-arab-people-would-side-with-russia-and-china-not-with/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [I'm not trying to represent all Muslim women. I'm trying to give voice to the silent majority. Unfortunately, I'm a bit loony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maysoon-zayid/i-m-not-trying-to-represent-all-muslim-women-i-m-trying-to-give-voice/) [Maysoon Zayid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maysoon-zayid/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. It's one of the presumable principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/we-re-never-all-going-to-agree-with-each-other-we-have-to-learn-to/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) Browse all 3,215 Majority quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story which it may be supposed to tell.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Whistler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot-and-will-not-consider-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Majority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot-and-will-not-consider-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/james-whistler-14894_majority_the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot_1894370.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The vast majority of English folk cannot and will not consider a picture as a picture, apart from any story…” — James Whistler", "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 Whistler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whistler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The vast majority of English folk...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot-and-will-not-consider-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whistler/the-vast-majority-of-english-folk-cannot-and-will-not-consider-a/#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 } } ] } ```