--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is line? It is life. A line must…" description: "\"What is line? It is life. A line must live at each point along its course in such a way that the artist's presence makes itself felt above that of the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/jean-cocteau-1181_art_what-is-line-it-is-life-a-line-must-live_1767847.jpg" --- # What is line? It is life. A line must live at each point… ![“What is line? It is life. A line must live at each point along its course in such a way that the artist's presence makes itself felt above that of the model. With the writer, line takes precedence over form and content. It runs through the words he assembles. It strikes a continuous note…” quote by Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/jean-cocteau-1181_art_what-is-line-it-is-life-a-line-must-live_1767847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/jean-cocteau-1181_art_what-is-line-it-is-life-a-line-must-live_1767847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b74/jean-cocteau-1181_art_what-is-line-it-is-life-a-line-must-live_1767847.jpg) > “What is line? It is life. A line must live at each point along its course in such a way that the artist's presence makes itself felt above that of the model. With the writer, line takes precedence over form and content. It runs through the words he assembles. It strikes a continuous note unperceived by ear or eye. It is, in a way, the soul's style, and if the line ceases to have a life of its own, if it only describes an arabesque, the soul is missing and the writing dies.” [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line is the living thread of art; it must breathe at every point, otherwise the work dies. **In simple terms:** Line gives life to art. Key Takeaway Cultivate vivid, continuous expression. Themes art writing creativity style Mood thoughtful inspirational Type literary artistic When to use this quote - creative writing - visual arts - design - performance - literary criticism Key Concepts presence authenticity continuity Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep the line alive in your work? - What does “line” mean to you personally? A Different Perspective May become overly self‑focused, neglecting audience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Strikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strikes/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I think that to be a good writer, you have to put yourself on the line, you have to think deeply about what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-think-that-to-be-a-good-writer-you-have-to-put-yourself-on-the-line/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [When people ask what you do, tell them you're a writer. Put yourself on the line. 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It is you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-the-public-criticizes-in-you-cultivate-it-is-you/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/here-i-am-trying-to-live-or-rather-i-am-trying-to-teach-the-death/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) [Explore all 255 Jean Cocteau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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