--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He believes that a real work of art can…" description: "\"“He believes that a real work of art can be owned but should not be subject to capture; that it should radiate such authority, such bizarre but confide..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/michael-cunningham-1120_art_he-believes-that-a-real-work-of-art-can_270250.jpg" --- # He believes that a real work of art can be owned but… ![“He believes that a real work of art can be owned but should not be subject to capture; that it should radiate such authority, such bizarre but confident beauty (or unbeauty) that it can't be undone by even the most ludicrous sofas or side tables. A real work of art should rule the room, and the…” quote by Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/michael-cunningham-1120_art_he-believes-that-a-real-work-of-art-can_270250.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/michael-cunningham-1120_art_he-believes-that-a-real-work-of-art-can_270250.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/michael-cunningham-1120_art_he-believes-that-a-real-work-of-art-can_270250.jpg) > ““He believes that a real work of art can be owned but should not be subject to capture; that it should radiate such authority, such bizarre but confident beauty (or unbeauty) that it can't be undone by even the most ludicrous sofas or side tables. A real work of art should rule the room, and the clients should call up not to complain about the art but to say that the art has helped them understand how the room is all a horrible mistake, can Peter suggest a designer to help them start over again.”” [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true artwork dominates its space, exposing flaws in design, prompting clients to seek redesign. **In simple terms:** Great art reveals a room’s flaws, urging redesign. Key Takeaway Let art expose design mistakes. Themes art design perception Mood reflective critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - interior design - client consultation - art criticism Key Concepts aesthetic authority spatial critique Questions to Reflect On - How can art influence design decisions? - When should a designer start over? A Different Perspective Art alone may not change practical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Helped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-helped-2011802/) [Art Owned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-owned-2644189/) [Art Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-rule-2644190/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Complain Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complain-art-2644191/) [Work Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-art/) ## Related quotes > [I have not collected art. Art collected me. I never found paintings. They found me. I have never even owned a work of art.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-g-robinson/i-have-not-collected-art-art-collected-me-i-never-found-paintings/) [Edward G. Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-g-robinson/) > [You know the Art Rule: Do something that entertains/interests YOU, if you're lucky it'll do the same for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-olbermann/you-know-the-art-rule-do-something-that-entertains-interests-you-if/) [Keith Olbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-olbermann/) > [Abstract art has helped us to experience the emotional power inherent in pure form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-ehrenzweig/abstract-art-has-helped-us-to-experience-the-emotional-power-inherent/) [Anton Ehrenzweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-ehrenzweig/) > [“One thing, however, did become clear to him—why so many perfect works of art did not please him at all, why they were almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/one-thing-however-did-become-clear-to-him-why-so-many-perfect-works/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Art helped give me confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/art-helped-give-me-confidence/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [ \[Art\] would have helped us survive in the Pleistocene - in the period, say, 1.6 million years ago until fairly recently. The kind of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-dutton/art-would-have-helped-us-survive-in-the-pleistocene-in-the-period-say/) [Denis Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-dutton/) > [I probably sensed the serious formality of the ceremonies and felt what others were feeling then. Looking back, I'd guess that it had opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/araya-rasdjarmrearnsook/i-probably-sensed-the-serious-formality-of-the-ceremonies-and-felt/) [Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/araya-rasdjarmrearnsook/) > [Art has helped shape me in a way that is maybe unique, but I've also got to go and put my own form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/art-has-helped-shape-me-in-a-way-that-is-maybe-unique-but-i-ve-also/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [Society takes what it wants. The artist himself does not count, because there is no actual existence for the work of art. The work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/society-takes-what-it-wants-the-artist-himself-does-not-count-because/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [“Communication Is a work of art Some are normally born with it Some may need a chart ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amal-saleh/communication-is-a-work-of-art-some-are-normally-born-with-it-some/) [Amal Saleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amal-saleh/) > [Art goes on in your head. If you said something interesting, that might be a title for a work of art and I'd write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/art-goes-on-in-your-head-if-you-said-something-interesting-that-might/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [“We are often more a piece of work than a work of art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-grunewald/we-are-often-more-a-piece-of-work-than-a-work-of-art/) [R.J. Grunewald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-grunewald/) > [“She was a work of art. Jared saw the paint and the canvas and a few pleasant shapes. Ace felt the earth move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/she-was-a-work-of-art-jared-saw-the-paint-and-the-canvas-and-a-few/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) > [“There were no words to describe her, nor were there ones I could coherently form in the moment; she was a work of art,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raine-miller/there-were-no-words-to-describe-her-nor-were-there-ones-i-could/) [Raine Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raine-miller/) > [The ultimate justification of the work of art is to help the spectator to become a work of art himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-ultimate-justification-of-the-work-of-art-is-to-help-the/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) ## More by Michael Cunningham > [“Mizzy has wandered into the garden. Carole looks contemplatively at him, says, "Lovely boy." "My wife's insanely younger brother. He's one of those kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/mizzy-has-wandered-into-the-garden-carole-looks-contemplatively-at/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“Zoe loved Trancas's mother. She respected her exhausted and ironic hope for rebirth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/zoe-loved-trancas-s-mother-she-respected-her-exhausted-and-ironic/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [The lives great artists live and the books they write are two very different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/the-lives-great-artists-live-and-the-books-they-write-are-two-very/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“How often since then has she wondered what might have happened if she'd tried to remain with him; if she’d returned Richard's kiss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/how-often-since-then-has-she-wondered-what-might-have-happened-if-she/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“...a full week of their mother's quiet fury over the fun they don't seem to be having and their father's dogged attempts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/a-full-week-of-their-mother-s-quiet-fury-over-the-fun-they-don-t-seem/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Oh, all you immigrants and visionaries, what do you hope to find here, who do you hope to become?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/oh-all-you-immigrants-and-visionaries-what-do-you-hope-to-find-here/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“She wants to have baked a cake that banishes sorrow, even if only for a little while.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/she-wants-to-have-baked-a-cake-that-banishes-sorrow-even-if-only-for/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“And yet, it gives Peter nothing. Not now. Not today. Not when he needs... more. More than this well-executed idea. More than the shark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/and-yet-it-gives-peter-nothing-not-now-not-today-not-when-he-needs/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [He insists on a version of you that is funnier, stranger, more eccentric and prfound thatn you suspect yourself to be--capable of doing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/he-insists-on-a-version-of-you-that-is-funnier-stranger-more/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [The worst are full of passionate intensity while the best lack all conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/the-worst-are-full-of-passionate-intensity-while-the-best-lack-all/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“And here he is, letting the massive steel street door click shut behind him, standing at the top of the three iron steps that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/and-here-he-is-letting-the-massive-steel-street-door-click-shut/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [It's the world, you live in it, even if some boy has made a fool of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/it-s-the-world-you-live-in-it-even-if-some-boy-has-made-a-fool-of-you/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“She's had a long life. Now she's going to the Lord." "Frankly it creeps me out a little when you say things like that,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/she-s-had-a-long-life-now-she-s-going-to-the-lord-frankly-it-creeps/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Any other vexations to report?" he asks. "I love the word 'vexations.'" "It's the 'x.' Nice to jump off a 'v' and bite into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/any-other-vexations-to-report-he-asks-i-love-the-word-vexations-it-s/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [Dead, we are revealed in our true dimensions, and they are surprisingly modest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/dead-we-are-revealed-in-our-true-dimensions-and-they-are-surprisingly/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) [Explore all 277 Michael Cunningham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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 only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [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/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He believes that a real work of art can be owned but should not be subject to capture; that it should radiate such authority, such bizarre but confident beauty (or unbeauty) that it can't be undone by even the most ludicrous sofas or side tables. 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