--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The painter or draftsman ought to be…" description: "\"The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigour of the mind.\" — Leonardo da Vinci" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg" --- # The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order… ![“The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigour of the mind.” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg) > “The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigour of the 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. Solitude protects the mind’s vigor, preventing bodily concerns from draining creative energy. **In simple terms:** Artists need solitude to keep their mind strong. Key Takeaway Seek quiet time for creative work. Themes creativity solitude mental focus Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - studio work - research - personal reflection Key Concepts artistic discipline focus intellectual vigor Questions to Reflect On - How much solitude do you need? - When should you seek external input? A Different Perspective Isolation can limit collaboration and feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Draftsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draftsman/) [Draftsman Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draftsman-ought-2869848/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-solitary-2869847/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Draftsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-draftsman-2869849/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Sap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sap/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Vigour Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vigour-mind-2869850/) [Well being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-being/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Mathematical Knowledge adds a manly Vigour to the Mind, frees it from Prejudice, Credulity, and Superstition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/mathematical-knowledge-adds-a-manly-vigour-to-the-mind-frees-it-from/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/iron-rusts-from-disuse-water-loses-its-purity-from-stagnation-even-so/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Inaction saps the vigor of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/inaction-saps-the-vigor-of-the-mind/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [I hate to say I'm a photographer, because I learned photography as I went along. But I also hate to say I'm a painter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vik-muniz/i-hate-to-say-i-m-a-photographer-because-i-learned-photography-as-i/) [Vik Muniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vik-muniz/) > [I worked as a draftsman for the Department of Environmental Protection, and as a teacher, in N.Y.C.; at a big bank and a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/i-worked-as-a-draftsman-for-the-department-of-environmental/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [“You are the draftsman and craftsman of your own destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napz-cherub-pellazo/you-are-the-draftsman-and-craftsman-of-your-own-destiny/) [Napz Cherub Pellazo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napz-cherub-pellazo/) > [ \[Bernard Leach\] was an incredible draftsman, and at the end of breakfast time, for instance, he would push his plate back, and he'd pull… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/bernard-leach-was-an-incredible-draftsman-and-at-the-end-of-breakfast/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [You know there's always that kid in your class — and every class has one — the kid who draws all the time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-docter/you-know-there-s-always-that-kid-in-your-class-and-every-class-has/) [Pete Docter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-docter/) > [I hired Bob at Terrytoons. He was my assistant animator, and then became an animator himself. He had just come from Boston with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bakshi/i-hired-bob-at-terrytoons-he-was-my-assistant-animator-and-then/) [Ralph Bakshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bakshi/) > [By the time I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to be an artist. I was a born draftsman and liked all forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-frazetta/by-the-time-i-was-a-teenager-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-i-was-a/) [Frank Frazetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-frazetta/) > [All good and genuine draftsmen draw according to the picture inscribed in their minds, and not according to nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/all-good-and-genuine-draftsmen-draw-according-to-the-picture/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [The composer opens the cage door for arithmetic, the draftsman gives geometry its freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/the-composer-opens-the-cage-door-for-arithmetic-the-draftsman-gives/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [When I was there at Marvel, everybody thought if you could draw well and you could do sensational panels, that you were going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-romita-sr/when-i-was-there-at-marvel-everybody-thought-if-you-could-draw-well/) [John Romita, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-romita-sr/) > [I've always considered myself a graphic artists - a draftsman - as opposed to a typist. I do still work on a drawing table.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schwab/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-graphic-artists-a-draftsman-as/) [Michael Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schwab/) > [ The Declaration \[of Independence\] was a committee report, and \[Tomas\] Jefferson was simply the draftsman. \[John\] Adams's crucial role in bringing about independence in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/the-declaration-of-independence-was-a-committee-report-and-tomas/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) ## 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 Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [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 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/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigour of the mind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonardo da Vinci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-solitary-in-order-that-the-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-solitary-in-order-that-the-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43e/leonardo-da-vinci-330_artist_the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-sol_300239.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The painter or draftsman ought to be solitary, in order that the well-being of the body not sap the vigour…” — 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 painter or draftsman ought to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-solitary-in-order-that-the-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-painter-or-draftsman-ought-to-be-solitary-in-order-that-the-well/#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 } } ] } ```