--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One painter ought never to imitate the…" description: "\"One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the child of nature, but the grandchild. It is alw..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg" --- # One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any… ![“One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the child of nature, but the grandchild. It is always best to have recourse to nature, which is replete with such abundance of objects, than to the productions of other masters, who learnt…” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg) > “One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the child of nature, but the grandchild. It is always best to have recourse to nature, which is replete with such abundance of objects, than to the productions of other masters, who learnt everything from her.” [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. Artists should draw directly from nature rather than copying others, preserving originality and authenticity. **In simple terms:** Copying others limits true creativity. Key Takeaway Seek inspiration in nature. Themes art creativity originality nature Mood inspirational reflective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - painting - design - educational curricula - artistic development Key Concepts Renaissance thought authentic expression creative independence Questions to Reflect On - How can you incorporate natural observation into your work? - What limits arise from excessive imitation? A Different Perspective Relying on others may stifle personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abundance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [“Being a painter, I ought to say why in pictures people's faces are painted green and red.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazimir-severinovich-malevich/being-a-painter-i-ought-to-say-why-in-pictures-people-s-faces-are/) Kazimir Severinovich Malevich > [I am a child of Nature, and take after my mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/i-am-a-child-of-nature-and-take-after-my-mother/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [A child's nature is too serious a thing to admit of its being regarded as a mere appendage to another being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-child-s-nature-is-too-serious-a-thing-to-admit-of-its-being/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw; Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight, A little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/behold-the-child-by-nature-s-kindly-law-pleased-with-a-rattle-tickled-2/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“Because children grow up, we think a child's purpose is to grow up. But a child's purpose is to be a child. Nature doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/because-children-grow-up-we-think-a-child-s-purpose-is-to-grow-up-but-2/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Art is the child of Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/art-is-the-child-of-nature/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Because children grow up, we think a child's purpose is to grow up. But a child's purpose is to be a child. Nature doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/because-children-grow-up-we-think-a-child-s-purpose-is-to-grow-up-but/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Children delight in folk-tale and fairy lore, but the very little child loves best the story which mirrors the familiar. And it is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-lindsay/children-delight-in-folk-tale-and-fairy-lore-but-the-very-little/) [Maud Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-lindsay/) > [Art is the child of Nature; yes, Her darling child, in whom we trace The features of the mother's face, Her aspect and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/art-is-the-child-of-nature-yes-her-darling-child-in-whom-we-trace-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“If a geographic place rapidly changes in a way that demeans its natural integrity, then children’s early attachment to land is at risk. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/if-a-geographic-place-rapidly-changes-in-a-way-that-demeans-its/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/passion-is-lifted-from-the-earth-itself-by-the-muddy-hands-of-the/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [“Self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid on the surface of a child's nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mason/self-education-is-the-only-possible-education-the-rest-is-mere-veneer/) [Charlotte Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mason/) > [Except when he has regressive tendencies, the child's nature is to aim directly and energetically at functional independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/except-when-he-has-regressive-tendencies-the-child-s-nature-is-to-aim/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [No black man wants a blue-eyed black child, and no white man wants a kinky-haired white child. Nature didn't mean it to be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/no-black-man-wants-a-blue-eyed-black-child-and-no-white-man-wants-a/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Art is the child of nature in whom we trace the features of the mothers face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/art-is-the-child-of-nature-in-whom-we-trace-the-features-of-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## 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/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-painter-should-begin-every-canvas-with-a-wash-of-black-because-all/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nothing can be love or hated unless it is first known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nothing-can-be-love-or-hated-unless-it-is-first-known/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [An arch consists of two weaknesses which, leaning one against the other, make a strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/an-arch-consists-of-two-weaknesses-which-leaning-one-against-the/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [But to me all sciences seem vain and full of error that are not born of experience, mother of all certainty, and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/but-to-me-all-sciences-seem-vain-and-full-of-error-that-are-not-born/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Time stays long enough for those who use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/time-stays-long-enough-for-those-who-use-it/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Be a mirror, absorb everything around you and still remain the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/be-a-mirror-absorb-everything-around-you-and-still-remain-the-same/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Your brain is much better than you think; just use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/your-brain-is-much-better-than-you-think-just-use-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Necessity is a guardian in Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/necessity-is-a-guardian-in-nature/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/human-subtlety-will-never-devise-an-invention-more-beautiful-more/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [To be a winner you must want to win but must know of the chance of losing and must not fear of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/to-be-a-winner-you-must-want-to-win-but-must-know-of-the-chance-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nature is so delightful and abundant in its variations that among trees of the same kind there would not be found one which nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nature-is-so-delightful-and-abundant-in-its-variations-that-among/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Wisdom is the daughter of experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/wisdom-is-the-daughter-of-experience/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) [Explore all 664 Leonardo da Vinci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## More Abundance quotes > [ When the fountains of government \[borrowing\] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-flynn/when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowing-abundance-began-to-dry-up/) [John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-flynn/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“Life is open to us all. No one will ever see life exactly the same as another. Some folks will argue that one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sereda-aleta-dailey/life-is-open-to-us-all-no-one-will-ever-see-life-exactly-the-same-as/) [Sereda Aleta Dailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sereda-aleta-dailey/) > [Our obsession with material things and lack of self-worth is evident in our need for an abundance of momentary luxuries and must-have amenities that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/our-obsession-with-material-things-and-lack-of-self-worth-is-evident/) T.I > [Like the sea itself, the unconscious yields an endless and self-replenishing abundance of creatures, a wealth beyond our fathoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/like-the-sea-itself-the-unconscious-yields-an-endless-and-self/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [“Without darkness, we may never know how bright the stars shine. Without battles, we could not know what victory feels like. Without adversity, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne/without-darkness-we-may-never-know-how-bright-the-stars-shine-without/) [Julie-Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [I dreamt a limitless book, A book unbound, Its leaves scattered in fantastic abundance On every line there was a new horizon drawn, New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-dreamt-a-limitless-book-a-book-unbound-its-leaves-scattered-in/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I used to be a columnist for 'Golf Monthly' and have contributed articles for national newspapers based on the humour that is in abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-carrott/i-used-to-be-a-columnist-for-golf-monthly-and-have-contributed/) [Jasper Carrott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-carrott/) > [Remember, whatever you focus upon, increases...When you focus on the things you need, you'll find those needs increasing. If you concentrate your thoughts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/remember-whatever-you-focus-upon-increases-when-you-focus-on-the/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [Don't measure the height of your Christmas tree. Measure the abundance of the love present in your heart! Have a Blessed Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-measure-the-height-of-your-christmas-tree-measure-the-abundance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,251 Abundance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abundance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the child of nature, but the grandchild. It is always best to have recourse to nature, which is replete with such abundance of objects, than to the productions of other masters, who learnt everything from her.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonardo da Vinci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-manner-of-any-other-because-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abundance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-manner-of-any-other-because-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/leonardo-da-vinci-330_abundance_one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-m_1321501.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One painter ought never to imitate the manner of any other; because in that case he cannot be called the…” — Leonardo da Vinci", "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": "Leonardo da Vinci", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One painter ought never to imitate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-manner-of-any-other-because-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/one-painter-ought-never-to-imitate-the-manner-of-any-other-because-in/#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 } } ] } ```