--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No good work whatever can be perfect, and…" description: "\"No good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art.\" — John Ruskin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_2960102.jpg" --- # No good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for… ![“No good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_2960102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_2960102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_2960102.jpg) > “No good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection is unattainable; striving for it shows misunderstanding of art’s purpose. **In simple terms:** Seeking perfection misinterprets art’s goals. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection as part of artistic expression. Themes art perfection misunderstanding process Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery reviews - art education - creative workshops - personal practice Key Concepts aesthetic theory creative intent human fallibility Questions to Reflect On - What does “perfect” mean in art? - How does imperfection enrich creativity? A Different Perspective Perfection can stifle innovation and risk-taking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demand Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand-perfection-740829/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Ends Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends-art-2109797/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Misunderstanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misunderstanding/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Perfect Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-demand-4503536/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Sign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-sign-4503535/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“. . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Where the material ends, art begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etienne-hajdu/where-the-material-ends-art-begins/) [Etienne Hajdu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etienne-hajdu/) > [They call war an art, but it isn't. It largely consists in outwitting people, robbing widows and orphans, and inflicting suffering on the helpless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-roberts/they-call-war-an-art-but-it-isn-t-it-largely-consists-in-outwitting/) [Kenneth Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-roberts/) > [“Just as that puzzled savage who has picked up - a strange cast-up from the ocean? - something unearthed from the sands? - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/just-as-that-puzzled-savage-who-has-picked-up-a-strange-cast-up-from/) [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [Every science begins as philosophy and ends as art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/every-science-begins-as-philosophy-and-ends-as-art/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [Love doesn't demand perfection, but it does ask you to give yourself with less reserve than you'd prefer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/love-doesn-t-demand-perfection-but-it-does-ask-you-to-give-yourself/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [Perfectionists demand perfection from themselves first and foremost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/perfectionists-demand-perfection-from-themselves-first-and-foremost/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“When you demand perfection within yourself, you become more fallible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/when-you-demand-perfection-within-yourself-you-become-more-fallible/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [In a fallen world, if you demand perfection or nothing, you will always get nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/in-a-fallen-world-if-you-demand-perfection-or-nothing-you-will-always/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [“If you demand perfection or nothing, you will always end up with nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/if-you-demand-perfection-or-nothing-you-will-always-end-up-with/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [“You clean and organize; you demand perfection—did you ever wonder why?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/you-clean-and-organize-you-demand-perfection-did-you-ever-wonder-why/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [People tell me I'm a perfectionist. They tell me I'm too extreme and that I work too hard. I tell them, that is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/people-tell-me-i-m-a-perfectionist-they-tell-me-i-m-too-extreme-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [I demand perfection in what I do, and I practice very hard before I give a concert-sometimes three to six hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-simone/i-demand-perfection-in-what-i-do-and-i-practice-very-hard-before-i/) [Nina Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-simone/) > [There is no better news than that the God who makes the demand for perfection also meets the demand for perfection on our behalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/there-is-no-better-news-than-that-the-god-who-makes-the-demand-for/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Demand perfection of yourself and you'll seldom attain it. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest single cause of making one. Relax -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-winter/demand-perfection-of-yourself-and-you-ll-seldom-attain-it-fear-of/) [Lloyd Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-winter/) ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. 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