--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never the kind of painter or…" description: "\"I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop.\" — Michelangelo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg" --- # I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop. ![“I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop.” quote by Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg) > “I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop.” [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He preferred creating original works over running a workshop or selling reproductions **In simple terms:** He liked making art, not selling it Key Takeaway Focus on creation, not commerce Themes art individualism craftsmanship Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - artist studio - personal commissions - gallery exhibitions Key Concepts Renaissance originality studio practice Questions to Reflect On - How does selling art affect creativity? - What value does a personal studio hold? A Different Perspective Commercial pressures can limit artistic freedom ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [Reason was nowhere, time was an immovable object nailed high on the wall, except where the world kept shop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/reason-was-nowhere-time-was-an-immovable-object-nailed-high-on-the/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [Every man is a painter and the sculptor of his own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/every-man-is-a-painter-and-the-sculptor-of-his-own-life/) Pacifiersucker > [Every man is the painter and the sculptor of his own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-man-is-the-painter-and-the-sculptor-of-his-own-life/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [I would have loved to have been a painter or a sculptor. I'm still fascinated by those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-whishaw/i-would-have-loved-to-have-been-a-painter-or-a-sculptor-i-m-still/) [Ben Whishaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-whishaw/) > [“Oh there once was a woman and she kept a shop selling trinkets to tourists not far from a dock who came to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/oh-there-once-was-a-woman-and-she-kept-a-shop-selling-trinkets-to/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [The only kind of sublimity which a painter or sculptor should aim at is to express by certain proportions and positions of limbs and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-only-kind-of-sublimity-which-a-painter-or-sculptor-should-aim-at/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [To become a painter or a sculptor or a graphic designer is quite an isolated way to spend your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/to-become-a-painter-or-a-sculptor-or-a-graphic-designer-is-quite-an/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I want to direct films, because I am a painter and a sculptor and I've done a lot of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-berkeley/i-want-to-direct-films-because-i-am-a-painter-and-a-sculptor-and-i-ve/) [Xander Berkeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-berkeley/) > [An actor should take lessons from a painter and a sculptor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/an-actor-should-take-lessons-from-a-painter-and-a-sculptor/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [With a painter or a sculptor, one cannot begin to alter his works, but an architect has to put up with anything, because he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-jacobsen/with-a-painter-or-a-sculptor-one-cannot-begin-to-alter-his-works-but/) [Arne Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-jacobsen/) > [My father, a ruined dandy from the South, had been reduced to keeping a small harness-repair shop and, when that failed, he became ostensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/my-father-a-ruined-dandy-from-the-south-had-been-reduced-to-keeping-a/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [Whenever a great painter... does a work which appears to be false and lying, that falsity is very true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/whenever-a-great-painter-does-a-work-which-appears-to-be-false-and/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [The best thing for you to do is shop at your local farmer's market and support the organic growers who are there. Because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-shop-at-your-local-farmer-s-market/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [We shop out of boredom, for release, for excitement, for a sense of achievement, for a sense of control over our unruly existences. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/we-shop-out-of-boredom-for-release-for-excitement-for-a-sense-of/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [I spend a lot of time loathing the sentences that I put down on the page. Once I'm past that phase, it doesn't really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-loathing-the-sentences-that-i-put-down-on-the/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) ## More by Michelangelo > [The power of one fair face makes my love sublime, for it has weaned my heart from low desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-power-of-one-fair-face-makes-my-love-sublime-for-it-has-weaned-my/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [To know each other is the best way to understand each other. To understand each other is the only way to love each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/to-know-each-other-is-the-best-way-to-understand-each-other-to/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-marble-not-yet-carved-can-hold-the-form-of-every-thought-the/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [A great sculpture can roll down a hill without breaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/a-great-sculpture-can-roll-down-a-hill-without-breaking/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-sculpture-is-already-complete-within-the-marble-block-before-i/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [What one has most to work and struggle for in painting is to do the work with a great amount of labour and sweat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-one-has-most-to-work-and-struggle-for-in-painting-is-to-do-the/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [If the wine is not good, then throw it out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/if-the-wine-is-not-good-then-throw-it-out/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [An artist does his most difficult work when he steps back from the blank canvas and thinks about what he is going to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/an-artist-does-his-most-difficult-work-when-he-steps-back-from-the/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [There is no greater harm than that of time wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/there-is-no-greater-harm-than-that-of-time-wasted/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [It is better decoration when, in painting, some monstrosity is introduced for variety and a relaxation of the senses and to attract the attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/it-is-better-decoration-when-in-painting-some-monstrosity-is/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [To touch is to give life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/to-touch-is-to-give-life/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [Sculpture is made by taking away, while painting is made by adding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/sculpture-is-made-by-taking-away-while-painting-is-made-by-adding/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [The more the marble wastes, The more the statue grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/the-more-the-marble-wastes-the-more-the-statue-grows/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [When they asked Michelangelo how he made his statue of David he is reported to have said, "It is easy. You just chip away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/when-they-asked-michelangelo-how-he-made-his-statue-of-david-he-is/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) > [I am a poor man and of little worth, who is laboring in that art that God has given me in order to extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-am-a-poor-man-and-of-little-worth-who-is-laboring-in-that-art-that/) [Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) [Explore all 143 Michelangelo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/) ## 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 > [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": "I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelangelo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculptor-who-kept-a-shop/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculptor-who-kept-a-shop/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aac/michelangelo-2976_kind_i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculp_1427725.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was never the kind of painter or sculptor who kept a shop.” — Michelangelo", "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": "Michelangelo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was never the kind of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculptor-who-kept-a-shop/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/i-was-never-the-kind-of-painter-or-sculptor-who-kept-a-shop/#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 } } ] } ```