---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good painter is to paint two main…"
description: "\"A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the working of man's mind.\" — Leonardo da Vinci"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_men_a-good-painter-is-to-paint-two-main-thin_1969408.jpg"
---

#  A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the…

![“A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the working of man's mind.” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_men_a-good-painter-is-to-paint-two-main-thin_1969408.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_men_a-good-painter-is-to-paint-two-main-thin_1969408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_men_a-good-painter-is-to-paint-two-main-thin_1969408.jpg)

> “A good painter is to paint two main things, men and the working of man's mind.”

[Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/)

## 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 depict both human figures and the inner workings of the mind.

**In simple terms:** Paint people and thoughts.

Key Takeaway

Capture external and internal realities.

Themes

art psychology humanity

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

- gallery curation
- educational curricula
- psychological studies

Key Concepts

portraiture philosophical symbolism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you visualize mental processes?
- What techniques reveal inner life?

A Different Perspective

Balancing visual and abstract elements is challenging.

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[Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

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> [I have no ideas about what the paintings imply about the world. I don't think that's a painter's business. He just paints paintings without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-have-no-ideas-about-what-the-paintings-imply-about-the-world-i-don/)

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> [I paint German artists whom I admire. I paint their pictures, their work as painters, and their portraits too. But oddly enough, each of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-baselitz/i-paint-german-artists-whom-i-admire-i-paint-their-pictures-their/)

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## More by Leonardo da Vinci

> [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/)

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