--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: . . . no good work whatever can be…" 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. . . . no great ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg" --- # . . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand… ![“. . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art. . . . no great man ever stops working till he has reached his point of failure: that is to say, his mind is always far in advance of his powers of execution, and the…” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.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. . . . no great man ever stops working till he has reached his point of failure: that is to say, his mind is always far in advance of his powers of execution, and the latter will now and then give way in trying to follow it; besides that he will always give to the inferior portions of his work only such inferior attention as they require; and according to his greatness he becomes so accustomed to the feeling of dissatisfaction with the best he can do, that in moments of lassitude or anger with himself he will not care though the beholder be dissatisfied also. I believe there has only been one man who would not acknowledge this necessity, and strove always to reach perfection, Leonardo; the end of his vain effort being merely that he would take ten years to a picture and leave it unfinished. And therefore, if we are to have great men working at all, or less men doing their best, the work will be imperfect, however beautiful. Of human work none but what is bad can be perfect, in its own bad way.”” [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; great artists accept imperfection and keep creating despite dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** Great work is imperfect; keep creating. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection and continue working. Themes art perfection creativity Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - painting - writing - design - creative projects Key Concepts aesthetic theory humanism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance high standards with productivity? - When is it okay to leave work unfinished? A Different Perspective Striving for perfection can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-great/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Ends Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends-art-2109797/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Leonardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leonardo/) [Leonardo End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leonardo-end-2446481/) [Men Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-work/) [Perfection Leonardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-leonardo-2446480/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten-years/) ## Related quotes > [No good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is-2/) [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/) > [The names of great painters are like passing-bells: in the name of Velasquez you hear sounded the fall of Spain; .in the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-names-of-great-painters-are-like-passing-bells-in-the-name-of/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is certain that the real function of art is to increase our self-consciousness; to make us more aware of what we are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-n-sullivan/it-is-certain-that-the-real-function-of-art-is-to-increase-our-self/) [J. W. N. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-n-sullivan/) > [I like the fact that in ancient Chinese art the great painters always included a deliberate flaw in their work: human creation is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/i-like-the-fact-that-in-ancient-chinese-art-the-great-painters-always/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [To create a work of art, great or small, is work, hard work, and work requires discipline and order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/to-create-a-work-of-art-great-or-small-is-work-hard-work-and-work/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [Most of the books that I've adapted I'm doing because I love the book and I feel like it's a great work of art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/most-of-the-books-that-i-ve-adapted-i-m-doing-because-i-love-the-book/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Everybody is born with the capacity to enjoy, but not with the art. People think just because they are alive and they breathe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/everybody-is-born-with-the-capacity-to-enjoy-but-not-with-the-art/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“Art has two great functions. First, it provides an emotional experience. And then, if we have the courage of our own feelings, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/art-has-two-great-functions-first-it-provides-an-emotional-experience/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [In my low periods, I wondered what was the point of creating art. For whom? Are we animating God? Are we talking to ourselves?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-my-low-periods-i-wondered-what-was-the-point-of-creating-art-for/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I found so-called great art too pompous, too stiff. What at this time was called minor art was freer, more imaginative, more open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lipchitz/i-found-so-called-great-art-too-pompous-too-stiff-what-at-this-time/) [Jacques Lipchitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lipchitz/) > [The experiential test of whether this art is great or good, or minor or abysmal is the effect it has on your own sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-beckett/the-experiential-test-of-whether-this-art-is-great-or-good-or-minor/) [Wendy Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-beckett/) ## 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. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## 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. 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": "“. . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a misunderstanding of the ends of art. . . . no great man ever stops working till he has reached his point of failure: that is to say, his mind is always far in advance of his powers of execution, and the latter will now and then give way in trying to follow it; besides that he will always give to the inferior portions of his work only such inferior attention as they require; and according to his greatness he becomes so accustomed to the feeling of dissatisfaction with the best he can do, that in moments of lassitude or anger with himself he will not care though the beholder be dissatisfied also. I believe there has only been one man who would not acknowledge this necessity, and strove always to reach perfection, Leonardo; the end of his vain effort being merely that he would take ten years to a picture and leave it unfinished. And therefore, if we are to have great men working at all, or less men doing their best, the work will be imperfect, however beautiful. Of human work none but what is bad can be perfect, in its own bad way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ruskin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/john-ruskin-314_art_no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and_244865.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“. . . no good work whatever can be perfect, and the demand for perfection is always a sign of a…” — John Ruskin", "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": "John Ruskin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“. . . no good work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/no-good-work-whatever-can-be-perfect-and-the-demand-for-perfection-is/#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 } } ] } ```