--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All things that are living are expression…" description: "\"All things that are living are expression and therefore part of the inherent symbology of life. Art, therefore, that is encumbered with excessive symbo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/marsden-hartley-26767_all-things_all-things-that-are-living-are-expressio_696781.png" --- # All things that are living are expression and therefore… ![“All things that are living are expression and therefore part of the inherent symbology of life. Art, therefore, that is encumbered with excessive symbolism is extraneous, and from my point of view, useless art. Anyone who understands life needs no handbook of poetry or philosophy to tell him what…” quote by Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/marsden-hartley-26767_all-things_all-things-that-are-living-are-expressio_696781.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/marsden-hartley-26767_all-things_all-things-that-are-living-are-expressio_696781.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/009/marsden-hartley-26767_all-things_all-things-that-are-living-are-expressio_696781.png) > “All things that are living are expression and therefore part of the inherent symbology of life. Art, therefore, that is encumbered with excessive symbolism is extraneous, and from my point of view, useless art. Anyone who understands life needs no handbook of poetry or philosophy to tell him what it is.” [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) ## 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 arise naturally from life; excessive symbolism makes it irrelevant, and true understanding needs no guide. **In simple terms:** Art should be simple, not overloaded with symbols. Key Takeaway Seek authentic expression. Themes art authenticity symbolism Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - gallery curation - personal art projects - art education - critical reviews Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - Do you need symbols to convey complex ideas? - When does symbolism enhance rather than hinder? A Different Perspective Some symbolism can deepen meaning for certain audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Symbolism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbolism/) ## Related quotes > [You see, a document has use, whereas art is really useless. Therefore art is never a document, although it can adopt that style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/you-see-a-document-has-use-whereas-art-is-really-useless-therefore/) [Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/) > [“When Design become Useless it becomes Art. 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Art is an organ of human life, transmitting man's reasonable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-is-not-a-pleasure-a-solace-or-an-amusement-art-is-great-matter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Marsden Hartley > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [It is never difficult to see images – when the principle of the image is embedded in the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-never-difficult-to-see-images-when-the-principle-of-the-image/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [I harp always on the 'idea' of life as I dwell perpetually on the existence of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/i-harp-always-on-the-idea-of-life-as-i-dwell-perpetually-on-the/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [I don't want to escape via intellectual ruses – I want affirmations via passionate embraces & you can't have life unless you live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/i-don-t-want-to-escape-via-intellectual-ruses-i-want-affirmations-via/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [By getting as close to the true idea of religion, of spirituality as it is possible for us to get.. ...we would be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/by-getting-as-close-to-the-true-idea-of-religion-of-spirituality-as/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My work has the abstraction underneath it all now & what I deliberately set out to do down here, for this is the perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/my-work-has-the-abstraction-underneath-it-all-now-what-i-deliberately/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [A reaction, to be pleasant, must be simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/a-reaction-to-be-pleasant-must-be-simple/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Every painter must traverse for himself that distance from Paris to Aix (where Paul Cézanne worked a lot, fh) or from Venice to Toledo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/every-painter-must-traverse-for-himself-that-distance-from-paris-to/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [(I was) happily contended to be climbing the heights and the clouds by the brush method.. ...rendering the God-spirit in the mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/i-was-happily-contended-to-be-climbing-the-heights-and-the-clouds-by/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [The virtue of Yankee upbringing spiritually speaking is of more downright value to me than any past heritages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/the-virtue-of-yankee-upbringing-spiritually-speaking-is-of-more/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My work embodies little visions of the great intangible. ... 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