--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What spirit is so empty and blind, that…" description: "\"What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garmen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg" --- # What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot… ![“What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed?” quote by Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg) > “What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed?” [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. True value lies in substance, not superficial appearance. **In simple terms:** Substance matters more than looks. Key Takeaway Look beyond appearances to see true worth. Themes beauty perception authenticity humility Mood contemplative critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - relationships - fashion - media consumption - leadership Key Concepts aesthetics philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - What superficial judgments have you challenged? - How do you value inner qualities over outer? A Different Perspective Superficial judgments can be hard to overcome. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [A man without the Holy Ghost is a blind man. He may not know it but that's what blindness is all about. A blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/a-man-without-the-holy-ghost-is-a-blind-man-he-may-not-know-it-but/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [I'm only trying to present as honest a portrayal of the grimness of human ambition as I can. I'd hope it's rather uplifting, actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/i-m-only-trying-to-present-as-honest-a-portrayal-of-the-grimness-of/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) > [ The history of mathematics, lacking the guidance of philosophy, \[is\] blind, while the philosophy of mathematics, turning its back on the most intriguing phenomena… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-lakatos/the-history-of-mathematics-lacking-the-guidance-of-philosophy-is/) [Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-lakatos/) > [The impulse to paint comes neither from observation nor from the soul (which is probably blind) but from an encounter: the encounter between painter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/the-impulse-to-paint-comes-neither-from-observation-nor-from-the-soul/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [At least I've had one foot in a very normal kind of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/at-least-i-ve-had-one-foot-in-a-very-normal-kind-of-life/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [Follow your foot steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/follow-your-foot-steps/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [I really tried to put my best foot forward all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/i-really-tried-to-put-my-best-foot-forward-all-these-years/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [In 2020 we saw the poorest Indian citizen suffer as migrant workers, in the hundreds of thousands, fled the cities on foot, sometimes barefoot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/in-2020-we-saw-the-poorest-indian-citizen-suffer-as-migrant-workers/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [“Our foot step may slip without the order of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/our-foot-step-may-slip-without-the-order-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I managed to get onto 'The Hobbit,' which is a story in itself. I missed the main round of auditions but managed to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-stevens/i-managed-to-get-onto-the-hobbit-which-is-a-story-in-itself-i-missed/) [Conan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-stevens/) > [Coming from New Zealand and Australia is like a tough pre-school for Hollywood. And having been on 'Neighbours,' even though the agents I met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ryan/coming-from-new-zealand-and-australia-is-like-a-tough-pre-school-for/) [Jay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ryan/) > [I have played as a goalkeeper since I was six but I always worked on my ball skills, playing with my foot, knowing how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-bravo/i-have-played-as-a-goalkeeper-since-i-was-six-but-i-always-worked-on/) [Claudio Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-bravo/) > [A lot of Brazilians are very superstitious, especially footballers. I'm the same. I always step on to the pitch with my right foot first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/a-lot-of-brazilians-are-very-superstitious-especially-footballers-i-m/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) ## 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 Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Being beautiful comes naturally!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-beautiful-comes-naturally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) Tumblr > [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. 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There was something about jazz music that had a way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/growing-up-in-iceland-it-was-very-beautiful-very-safe-but-quite/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [Sometimes it's about less is more. It's about the seed. Thinking about this gigantic tree that you think is so beautiful but it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-durst/sometimes-it-s-about-less-is-more-it-s-about-the-seed-thinking-about/) [Fred Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-durst/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) [Browse all 17,976 Beautiful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelangelo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-it-cannot-recognize-the-fact/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beautiful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-it-cannot-recognize-the-fact/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4a/michelangelo-2976_beautiful_what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-i_1058442.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the…” — 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": "What spirit is so empty and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-it-cannot-recognize-the-fact/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/what-spirit-is-so-empty-and-blind-that-it-cannot-recognize-the-fact/#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 } } ] } ```