--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mind of the painter must resemble a…" description: "\"The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg" --- # The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which… ![“The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg) > “The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.” [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. An artist’s mind reflects and absorbs everything it observes, becoming a composite of those impressions. **In simple terms:** The mind mirrors what it sees. Key Takeaway Observe deeply to enrich your creative vision. Themes art perception creativity Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - painting - design - learning new skills - critical observation Key Concepts visual cognition mirror metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance observation with personal expression? - What do you filter out when reflecting? A Different Perspective Over‑absorption can blur originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/images/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-painter-2188813/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Object](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/object/) [Object Reflects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/object-reflects-2188815/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Occupied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupied/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Resemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-resemble-2188812/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reflects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflects/) [Reflects Completely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflects-completely-2188814/) [Resemble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resemble/) [Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) ## Related quotes > [The mind of a painter should be like a mirror which is filled with as many images as there are things placed before him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-mind-of-a-painter-should-be-like-a-mirror-which-is-filled-with-as/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I have told myself a hundred times that painting - that is, the material thing called a painting - is no more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/i-have-told-myself-a-hundred-times-that-painting-that-is-the-material/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [If deceiving the eye were the only business of the art... the minute painter would be more apt to succeed. But it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-reynolds/if-deceiving-the-eye-were-the-only-business-of-the-art-the-minute/) [Joshua Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-reynolds/) > [Earth might one day soon resemble the planet Venus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/earth-might-one-day-soon-resemble-the-planet-venus/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I would love to play the President of the United States. I have been told we resemble each other, and it would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-would-love-to-play-the-president-of-the-united-states-i-have-been/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) > [“In time, they have lost their personalities and begun to resemble each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustafa-donmez/in-time-they-have-lost-their-personalities-and-begun-to-resemble-each/) [Mustafa Donmez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustafa-donmez/) > [“Next to me was Jacob, this riddle Laurie and I had made. His size, his resemblance to me, the likelihood that he would fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/next-to-me-was-jacob-this-riddle-laurie-and-i-had-made-his-size-his/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [My people are few. They resemble the scattering trees of a storm-swept plain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/my-people-are-few-they-resemble-the-scattering-trees-of-a-storm-swept/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [Originally I was opposed to gay assimilation and targeted gay marriage as just another effort on the part of gays to resemble their straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/originally-i-was-opposed-to-gay-assimilation-and-targeted-gay/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I really love Penelope Cruz, because she has the tan skin. I think it's important to look at people who resemble you and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-dupont/i-really-love-penelope-cruz-because-she-has-the-tan-skin-i-think-it-s/) [Tiffany Dupont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-dupont/) > [Politics has come to resemble a cynical team game played by politicians, while the public has been pushed aside as if sitting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edi-rama/politics-has-come-to-resemble-a-cynical-team-game-played-by/) [Edi Rama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edi-rama/) > [Do not resemble me-Never be like a musk melon Cut in two identical halves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/do-not-resemble-me-never-be-like-a-musk-melon-cut-in-two-identical/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [“The more time you spend with God, the more you will resemble Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-more-time-you-spend-with-god-the-more-you-will-resemble-him/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [“Always resemble yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-white/always-resemble-yourself/) [Cynthia White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-white/) ## 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 Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and is completely occupied by the images of as many objects as are in front of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonardo da Vinci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a-mirror-which-always-takes-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a-mirror-which-always-takes-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/leonardo-da-vinci-330_always_the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a_2631066.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The mind of the painter must resemble a mirror, which always takes the colour of the object it reflects and…” — 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": "The mind of the painter must...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a-mirror-which-always-takes-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-mind-of-the-painter-must-resemble-a-mirror-which-always-takes-the/#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 } } ] } ```