--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who made art history? Not the most…" description: "\"Who made art history? Not the most reasonable people. The mad men did. If painting is the mirror of a time, it must be mad to have a true image of what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/max-ernst-26817_art_who-made-art-history-not-the-most-reason_1832529.jpg" --- # Who made art history? Not the most reasonable people. The… ![“Who made art history? Not the most reasonable people. The mad men did. If painting is the mirror of a time, it must be mad to have a true image of what that time is. To one madness we oppose another madness.” quote by Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/max-ernst-26817_art_who-made-art-history-not-the-most-reason_1832529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/max-ernst-26817_art_who-made-art-history-not-the-most-reason_1832529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/max-ernst-26817_art_who-made-art-history-not-the-most-reason_1832529.jpg) > “Who made art history? Not the most reasonable people. The mad men did. If painting is the mirror of a time, it must be mad to have a true image of what that time is. To one madness we oppose another madness.” [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative genius often emerges from madness, challenging conventional perception of reality. **In simple terms:** Madness fuels artistic truth. Key Takeaway Value unconventional perspectives. Themes art madness creativity history perception Mood provocative introspective inspirational Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - artists - art historians - students - curators Key Concepts avant‑garde psychoanalysis philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does madness influence artistic value? - Can order produce equally profound art? A Different Perspective Madness can be romanticized, overlooking suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-history/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Mad men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mad-men/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [My boyfriend has always been a collector of art. He once rang up Paul Kenton and asked him to paint a New York skyline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/my-boyfriend-has-always-been-a-collector-of-art-he-once-rang-up-paul/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) > [Yesterday, I did some painting then went out to buy an onion and came home and watched 'University Challenge.' The onion was probably the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/yesterday-i-did-some-painting-then-went-out-to-buy-an-onion-and-came/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I did painting before I did photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/i-did-painting-before-i-did-photography/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [My art history papers were really politics. They were about the manifestation of culture through the eye of political events. So there was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselee-goldberg/my-art-history-papers-were-really-politics-they-were-about-the/) [Roselee Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselee-goldberg/) > [Well, intellectual importance is directly linked to financial value in the art world. I mean, thats the thing you really want - museum quality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/well-intellectual-importance-is-directly-linked-to-financial-value-in/) [Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/) > [I was at one point thinking about being an art historian, when I was in school. And not being an artist, but I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-was-at-one-point-thinking-about-being-an-art-historian-when-i-was/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/this-is-an-hour-of-history-that-troubles-our-minds-and-hurts-our/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [I believe in originality, primarily. However, it's important to know what there has been before to aim in that direction. Art history informs us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/i-believe-in-originality-primarily-however-it-s-important-to-know/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [I majored in art history. But I took theater classes, and every semester I was in college productions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-devito/i-majored-in-art-history-but-i-took-theater-classes-and-every/) [Lucy DeVito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-devito/) > [ “The object \[Duchamp's Fountain\] was rejected , giving Duchamp the opportunity of issuing a statement, which he published in a review, The Blind Man.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-weston/the-object-duchamp-s-fountain-was-rejected-giving-duchamp-the/) [Neville Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-weston/) > [Narrative, fiction filmmaking is the culmination of several art forms: theater, art history, architecture. Whereas doc filmmaking is more pure cinema, like cinema verité…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hickenlooper/narrative-fiction-filmmaking-is-the-culmination-of-several-art-forms/) [George Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hickenlooper/) > [Listening to the radio every day for an entire year was a prison sentence. It was the most depressing, annoying, debilitating project I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/listening-to-the-radio-every-day-for-an-entire-year-was-a-prison/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [Because I'm an art historian, I have some experience of writing that comes out of close attention. That's what really art history is. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/because-i-m-an-art-historian-i-have-some-experience-of-writing-that/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Studying art history is actually one of the few ways of getting a good job in the arts sector. It's hard to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/studying-art-history-is-actually-one-of-the-few-ways-of-getting-a/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [The term 'Pre-Raphaelite' is in danger of becoming one of the most misused tags in art history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wood/the-term-pre-raphaelite-is-in-danger-of-becoming-one-of-the-most/) Christopher Wood ## More by Max Ernst > [When the artist finds himself he is lost. The fact that he has succeeded in never finding himself is regarded by Max Ernst as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/when-the-artist-finds-himself-he-is-lost-the-fact-that-he-has/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Collage is the noble conquest of the irrational, the coupling of two realities, irreconcilable in appearance, upon a plane which apparently does not suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/collage-is-the-noble-conquest-of-the-irrational-the-coupling-of-two/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [All good ideas arrive by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/all-good-ideas-arrive-by-chance/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Creativity is that marvelous capacity to grasp mutually distinct realities and draw a spark from their juxtaposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/creativity-is-that-marvelous-capacity-to-grasp-mutually-distinct/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Art has got nothing to do with taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/art-has-got-nothing-to-do-with-taste/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Painting is neither decorative amusement, nor the plastic invention of felt reality; it must be every time: invention, discovery, revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/painting-is-neither-decorative-amusement-nor-the-plastic-invention-of/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [The role of the painter . . . is to project that which sees itself in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/the-role-of-the-painter-is-to-project-that-which-sees-itself-in-him/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Collage is a supersensitive and scrupulously accurate instrument, similar to a seismograph, which is able to record the exact amount of the possibility of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/collage-is-a-supersensitive-and-scrupulously-accurate-instrument/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [My paintings are not meant to be tasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/my-paintings-are-not-meant-to-be-tasted/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Art has nothing to do with taste. Art is not there to be tasted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/art-has-nothing-to-do-with-taste-art-is-not-there-to-be-tasted/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [I succeeded in simply attending at the birth of all my works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/i-succeeded-in-simply-attending-at-the-birth-of-all-my-works/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [I have never seen a beautiful painting of a beautiful woman. But you can take an ugly woman and make a beautiful painting of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/i-have-never-seen-a-beautiful-painting-of-a-beautiful-woman-but-you/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Before he goes into the water, a diver cannot know what he will bring back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/before-he-goes-into-the-water-a-diver-cannot-know-what-he-will-bring/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [And Loplop, bird superior, has transformed himself into flesh without flesh and will dwell among us...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/and-loplop-bird-superior-has-transformed-himself-into-flesh-without/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) > [Painting is not for me either decorative amusement, or the plastic invention of felt reality; it must be every time: invention, discovery, revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-ernst/painting-is-not-for-me-either-decorative-amusement-or-the-plastic/) [Max Ernst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) [Explore all 21 Max Ernst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-ernst/) ## More Art quotes > [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/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [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/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“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 > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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