--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In art, the best is good enough." description: "\"In art, the best is good enough.\" — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg" --- # In art, the best is good enough. ![“In art, the best is good enough.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg) > “In art, the best is good enough.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art should aim for adequacy rather than perfection. **In simple terms:** Good enough is often sufficient. Key Takeaway Accept functional excellence over flawless perfection. Themes art perfectionism pragmatism Mood practical balanced Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - design projects - writing drafts - musical performance - visual art creation Key Concepts Aesthetic standards creative process Questions to Reflect On - When does striving for perfection hinder completion? - How can you balance quality and timeliness? A Different Perspective Pursuing perfection can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) ## Related quotes > [Good is not good enough. Better isn't your best. So always do your best because good isn't better than your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj/good-is-not-good-enough-better-isn-t-your-best-so-always-do-your-best/) Dj > [In order to have your best good guy, you have to be that bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/in-order-to-have-your-best-good-guy-you-have-to-be-that-bad-guy/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [I definitely believe that art is the best way to produce social change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-reyes/i-definitely-believe-that-art-is-the-best-way-to-produce-social-change/) [Pedro Reyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-reyes/) > [Art is the best possible introduction to the culture of the world. I love it for the buried hopes, the garnered memories, the tender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-is-the-best-possible-introduction-to-the-culture-of-the-world-i/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [That art is best which suggests most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/that-art-is-best-which-suggests-most/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [It has always been recognized that chess is an art, and its best practitioners have been described as artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kotov/it-has-always-been-recognized-that-chess-is-an-art-and-its-best/) [Alexander Kotov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kotov/) > [“Art, after all, is - at its best - a lie that tells us the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nam-le/art-after-all-is-at-its-best-a-lie-that-tells-us-the-truth/) [Nam Le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nam-le/) > [I want to touch on every form of art and be the best at it and be the biggest at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-cassette/i-want-to-touch-on-every-form-of-art-and-be-the-best-at-it-and-be-the/) [Benny Cassette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-cassette/) > [“Art was art, humans were humans, but art was best when it was human.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-smith/art-was-art-humans-were-humans-but-art-was-best-when-it-was-human/) Jonathan Smith > [I feel like polarising art is always the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myha-la/i-feel-like-polarising-art-is-always-the-best/) [Myha'la](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myha-la/) > [The highest art is no art. The best form is no form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-highest-art-is-no-art-the-best-form-is-no-form/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [I always think that in some way, art is the best tool we have to prepare for death. It's like a sculpture that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-always-think-that-in-some-way-art-is-the-best-tool-we-have-to/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Art at its best draws attention not only to the way things are but also to the way things will be, when the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-at-its-best-draws-attention-not-only-to-the-way-things-are-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Unfinished project or piece in art, is always the best in prospect that: your expectation are higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-jewels-mwanza/unfinished-project-or-piece-in-art-is-always-the-best-in-prospect/) Moses Jewels Mwanza > [I prefer to be out of the way, not because of an insecurity or shyness but because I think art is at its best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jp-saxe/i-prefer-to-be-out-of-the-way-not-because-of-an-insecurity-or-shyness/) [JP Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jp-saxe/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [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 never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## 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. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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 > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In art, the best is good enough.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-art-the-best-is-good-enough/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-art-the-best-is-good-enough/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_art_in-art-the-best-is-good-enough-770313_770313.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In art, the best is good enough.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "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": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In art, the best is good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-art-the-best-is-good-enough/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-art-the-best-is-good-enough/#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 } } ] } ```