--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The metaphysics of substance. The strange…" description: "\"The metaphysics of substance. The strange feeling which comes over us when we sense: this is skin - this is bone - all in a single vision that is compl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/max-beckmann-14117_bones_the-metaphysics-of-substance-the-strange_1915601.jpg" --- # The metaphysics of substance. The strange feeling which… ![“The metaphysics of substance. The strange feeling which comes over us when we sense: this is skin - this is bone - all in a single vision that is completely unearthly. The dreaminess of our existence mixed at the same time with the indescribably sweet illusion of reality.” quote by Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/max-beckmann-14117_bones_the-metaphysics-of-substance-the-strange_1915601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/max-beckmann-14117_bones_the-metaphysics-of-substance-the-strange_1915601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/max-beckmann-14117_bones_the-metaphysics-of-substance-the-strange_1915601.jpg) > “The metaphysics of substance. The strange feeling which comes over us when we sense: this is skin - this is bone - all in a single vision that is completely unearthly. The dreaminess of our existence mixed at the same time with the indescribably sweet illusion of reality.” [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the uncanny unity of body and perception, suggesting reality feels both tangible and surreal. **In simple terms:** Body and perception feel simultaneously real and surreal. Key Takeaway Embrace the mystery of existence. Themes philosophy art perception existence Mood wonder curiosity Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - contemplating art - philosophical discussion - creative writing Key Concepts metaphysics ontological experience realism artistic expression existential awe Questions to Reflect On - How does this perception affect your sense of self? - Can art bridge the gap between reality and illusion? A Different Perspective The feeling may be too abstract for practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Illusion Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion-reality-285775/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Metaphysics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics/) [Metaphysics Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphysics-substance-2911597/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-feeling/) [Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance/) [Substance Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance-strange-2911598/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [Metaphysics is universal and is exclusively concerned with primary substance. ... And here we will have the science to study that which is, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/metaphysics-is-universal-and-is-exclusively-concerned-with-primary/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“We are constituted of Divinity itself—nothing else, nothing less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/we-are-constituted-of-divinity-itself-nothing-else-nothing-less/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [If only we can give them faith that mountains can be moved, they will accept the illusion that mountains are moveable, and thus an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/if-only-we-can-give-them-faith-that-mountains-can-be-moved-they-will/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [The greatest strength is consuming fear as just an illusion and not a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/the-greatest-strength-is-consuming-fear-as-just-an-illusion-and-not-a/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [If life is the greatest illusion, then what are the reality of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/if-life-is-the-greatest-illusion-then-what-are-the-reality-of-god/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [We seem to prefer a comfortable lie to the uncomfortable truth. 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The only contradiction is the observer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/the-illusion-is-reality-the-only-contradiction-is-the-observer/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [Today's illusion is the reality of future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jatin-tanwer/today-s-illusion-is-the-reality-of-future/) [Jatin Tanwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jatin-tanwer/) > [“The Man of Truth has learned that Illusion is the One Reality, and that Substance is the Great Impostor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/the-man-of-truth-has-learned-that-illusion-is-the-one-reality-and/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [“It takes discipline to turn illusion into reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/it-takes-discipline-to-turn-illusion-into-reality/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [And if you ever do a survey, you'll find that people prefer illusion to reality, ten to one. Twenty, even.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/and-if-you-ever-do-a-survey-you-ll-find-that-people-prefer-illusion/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [“I find that there are a lot of objects and subjects within the world today. There's so much going on, that it seems like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/i-find-that-there-are-a-lot-of-objects-and-subjects-within-the-world/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [Reason is the illusion of reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/reason-is-the-illusion-of-reality/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [ Some of my enthusiasm for the \[found\] photograph was based on the fact that there was some residual illusion of reality in it always,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-heinecken/some-of-my-enthusiasm-for-the-found-photograph-was-based-on-the-fact/) [Robert Heinecken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-heinecken/) ## More by Max Beckmann > [It is, of course, a luxury to create art and, on top of this, to insist on expressing one's own artistic opinion. Nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/it-is-of-course-a-luxury-to-create-art-and-on-top-of-this-to-insist/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [What I want to show in my work is the idea which hides itself behind so-called reality. I am seeking for the bridge which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/what-i-want-to-show-in-my-work-is-the-idea-which-hides-itself-behind/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [“Art is creative for the sake of realization, not for amusement: for transfiguration, not for the sake of play. It is the quest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/art-is-creative-for-the-sake-of-realization-not-for-amusement-for/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [My figures come and go, suggested by fortune or misfortune. 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The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [“We are preaching hope, standing on the bones of the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rucyahana/we-are-preaching-hope-standing-on-the-bones-of-the-past/) [John Rucyahana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rucyahana/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. 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