--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even Michelangelo on his deathbed thought…" description: "\"Even Michelangelo on his deathbed thought he'd done nothing to ennoble art. He wanted to destroy his work-the Pieta! And this from the greatest artist ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/john-huston-20152_art_even-michelangelo-on-his-deathbed-though_2408183.png" --- # Even Michelangelo on his deathbed thought he'd done… ![“Even Michelangelo on his deathbed thought he'd done nothing to ennoble art. He wanted to destroy his work-the Pieta! And this from the greatest artist who ever lived. Of course I am not comparing my work to Michelangelo's. But this eternal dissatisfaction of the artist is what I was talking about.” quote by John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/john-huston-20152_art_even-michelangelo-on-his-deathbed-though_2408183.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/john-huston-20152_art_even-michelangelo-on-his-deathbed-though_2408183.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22f/john-huston-20152_art_even-michelangelo-on-his-deathbed-though_2408183.png) > “Even Michelangelo on his deathbed thought he'd done nothing to ennoble art. He wanted to destroy his work-the Pieta! And this from the greatest artist who ever lived. Of course I am not comparing my work to Michelangelo's. But this eternal dissatisfaction of the artist is what I was talking about.” [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even great artists doubt their work, leading to self‑destruction. **In simple terms:** Artists often feel their work is insufficient. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection; keep creating. Themes art self‑criticism legacy creativity Mood introspective critical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - painting - sculpture - writing - film production Key Concepts existential angst perfectionism Questions to Reflect On - What drives your artistic dissatisfaction? - How can you balance critique with appreciation? A Different Perspective Constant self‑doubt can paralyze progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Compare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compare/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Deathbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deathbed/) [Dissatisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissatisfaction/) [Dissatisfaction Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissatisfaction-artist-5715589/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michelangelo/) [Michelangelo Deathbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michelangelo-deathbed-6053420/) [Michelangelo Eternal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/michelangelo-eternal-6053421/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Work Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-michelangelo-5776939/) ## Related quotes > [The little dissatisfaction which every artist feels at the completion of a work forms the germ of a new work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berthold-auerbach/the-little-dissatisfaction-which-every-artist-feels-at-the-completion/) [Berthold Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berthold-auerbach/) > [“What is this plan, then? 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Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-harmon/) > [“In the case of Michel Angelo we have an artist who with brush and chisel portrayed literally thousands of human forms; but with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-carpenter/in-the-case-of-michel-angelo-we-have-an-artist-who-with-brush-and/) [Edward Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-carpenter/) ## More by John Huston > [Once you have found the right shot to introduce the scene-written your first declarative sentence-then the rest flows. You've found the key to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/once-you-have-found-the-right-shot-to-introduce-the-scene-written/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [The directing of a picture involves coming out of your individual loneliness and taking a controlling part in putting together a small world. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/the-directing-of-a-picture-involves-coming-out-of-your-individual/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I don't approve of censorship. I like the French theatre idea. Put on the play, and if the audience doesn't care for it, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-approve-of-censorship-i-like-the-french-theatre-idea-put-on/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Talk to them about things they don't know. Try to give them an inferiority complex. If the actress is beautiful, screw her. If she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/talk-to-them-about-things-they-don-t-know-try-to-give-them-an/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [You walk through a series of arches, so to speak, and then, presently, at the end of a corridor, a door opens and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/you-walk-through-a-series-of-arches-so-to-speak-and-then-presently-at/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Marilyn was one step from oblivion when I directed her in The Asphalt Jungle. I remember she impressed me more off the screen than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/marilyn-was-one-step-from-oblivion-when-i-directed-her-in-the-asphalt/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [The directing of a picture involves coming out of your individual loneliness and taking a controlling part in putting together a small world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/the-directing-of-a-picture-involves-coming-out-of-your-individual-2/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Whenever something is convenient or was modified after 1970, you probably shouldn't use it as root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/whenever-something-is-convenient-or-was-modified-after-1970-you/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I Don't Try to Guess What a Million People Will Like. It's Hard Enough to Know What I Like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-try-to-guess-what-a-million-people-will-like-it-s-hard-enough/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [What to do when inspiration doesn't come; be careful not to spook, get the wind up, force things into position. You must wait around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/what-to-do-when-inspiration-doesn-t-come-be-careful-not-to-spook-get/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [“I don't got to show you no stinkin' bahdges!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-got-to-show-you-no-stinkin-bahdges/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [There is a wilful lemming-like persistance in remaking past successes time after time. They can't make them as good as they are in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/there-is-a-wilful-lemming-like-persistance-in-remaking-past-successes/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I am more lost in wonder than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-am-more-lost-in-wonder-than-ever/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [A picture is made. You put a frame around it and move on. And one day you die. That is all there is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/a-picture-is-made-you-put-a-frame-around-it-and-move-on-and-one-day/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [She went right down into her own personal experience for everything, reached down and pulled something out of herself that was unique and extraordinary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/she-went-right-down-into-her-own-personal-experience-for-everything/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) [Explore all 31 John Huston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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