--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all…" description: "\"Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be preferred to wall-to-wall decorative arts, even if the decorative arts are of the highest quality pep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg" --- # Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be… ![“Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be preferred to wall-to-wall decorative arts, even if the decorative arts are of the highest quality peppered and salted with dukes and tiaras.” quote by Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg) > “Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be preferred to wall-to-wall decorative arts, even if the decorative arts are of the highest quality peppered and salted with dukes and tiaras.” [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that comprehensive, high‑quality works are preferable to decorative pieces, even if those pieces are lavishly adorned. **In simple terms:** Prefer whole masterpieces over decorative art, even if fancy. Key Takeaway Value depth over surface. Themes art quality preference Mood reflective analytical Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - museum curation - interior design - collecting - education - public spaces Key Concepts aesthetic judgment cultural hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - What makes a work a masterpiece? - Can decorative art be as impactful as fine art? A Different Perspective Decorative arts can also convey profound meaning, challenging the hierarchy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Masterpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masterpiece/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Tiaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiaras/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [“We should remember that all the arts are fine arts and all the arts decorative arts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-should-remember-that-all-the-arts-are-fine-arts-and-all-the-arts/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I didn't originally intend to be an artist; I was much more interested in decorative arts--daily life, beautiful objects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helaine-posner/i-didn-t-originally-intend-to-be-an-artist-i-was-much-more-interested/) Helaine Posner > [The arts are the only things that separate us from the other animals. The arts are not decorative. ... They are essential to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/the-arts-are-the-only-things-that-separate-us-from-the-other-animals/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [That to me was the most poignant part of Diana's wedding; as she was walking up the aisle and her eyes were going left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-oldfield/that-to-me-was-the-most-poignant-part-of-diana-s-wedding-as-she-was/) [Bruce Oldfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-oldfield/) > [I mean you might have wanted Carrie Bradshaw, but to me she's like toddlers and tiaras gone berserk!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/i-mean-you-might-have-wanted-carrie-bradshaw-but-to-me-she-s-like/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [I think that people had this idea that I sat at home and sucked on lollipops and ate cotton candy while I watched cartoons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/i-think-that-people-had-this-idea-that-i-sat-at-home-and-sucked-on/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [“Because friends like that are more precious than all the tiaras in the world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/because-friends-like-that-are-more-precious-than-all-the-tiaras-in/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [I had taught myself that a human being might as well look for diamond tiaras in the gutter as for rewards and punishments that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-taught-myself-that-a-human-being-might-as-well-look-for-diamond/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [With 'Black Swan,' the ballerina saga flips its tiara and goes on a hallucinatory bender, a scary acid trip where transfiguration and disfiguration meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/with-black-swan-the-ballerina-saga-flips-its-tiara-and-goes-on-a/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [There is a latent fairy in all women, but look how carefully we have to secrete her in order to be taken seriously. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-french/there-is-a-latent-fairy-in-all-women-but-look-how-carefully-we-have/) [Dawn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-french/) > [This isn’t happening to you, princess,” Sabine snapped before I could do more than shake my head. “This is happening to us. While you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/this-isn-t-happening-to-you-princess-sabine-snapped-before-i-could-do/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [My only experience in the world of tiaras was as a contestant in a homecoming queen pageant that featured all the high school homecoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-bailey/my-only-experience-in-the-world-of-tiaras-was-as-a-contestant-in-a/) [Cynthia Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-bailey/) > [The harsh truth is, most red-haired men look like blondes who've spoiled from lack of refrigeration. They look like brown-haired men who've been composted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-harsh-truth-is-most-red-haired-men-look-like-blondes-who-ve/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [It's very important to have two tiaras when you're on the road; you never know when you'll be invited to something really formal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/it-s-very-important-to-have-two-tiaras-when-you-re-on-the-road-you/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [“You know, when I was a kid, I was tricked into thinking that princesses wore tiaras and hosted tea parties. Now that I've met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/you-know-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-tricked-into-thinking-that-princesses/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) ## More by Joseph Alsop > [At last there is light at the end of the tunnel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/at-last-there-is-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/) [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) > [A man who has bought a theory will fight a vigorous rearguard action against the facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/a-man-who-has-bought-a-theory-will-fight-a-vigorous-rearguard-action/) [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) > [The plain truth is that the reporter's trade is for young men. Your feet, which do the legwork, are nine times more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/the-plain-truth-is-that-the-reporter-s-trade-is-for-young-men-your/) [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) > [Gratitude, like love, is never a dependable international emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/gratitude-like-love-is-never-a-dependable-international-emotion/) [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) > [By leveraging the Unicode Standard, Progress Software is enabling its ASPs (Application Service Providers) and ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) to quickly and efficiently deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/by-leveraging-the-unicode-standard-progress-software-is-enabling-its/) [Joseph Alsop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) [Explore all 6 Joseph Alsop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/) ## 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": "Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be preferred to wall-to-wall decorative arts, even if the decorative arts are of the highest quality peppered and salted with dukes and tiaras.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Alsop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ought-to-be-preferred-to-wall-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ought-to-be-preferred-to-wall-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/joseph-alsop-57376_art_wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ough_238434.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to be preferred to wall-to-wall decorative arts, even if the…” — Joseph Alsop", "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": "Joseph Alsop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-alsop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wall-to-wall masterpieces, after all, ought to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ought-to-be-preferred-to-wall-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-alsop/wall-to-wall-masterpieces-after-all-ought-to-be-preferred-to-wall-to/#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 } } ] } ```