--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Art is the human disposition of sensible…" description: "\"Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.\" — Milan Kundera" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg" --- # Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible… ![“Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg) > “Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.” [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defines art as the human tendency to shape sensible material for aesthetic purposes **In simple terms:** Art transforms material into something beautiful Key Takeaway Create with intention for aesthetic impact Themes aesthetics human nature creativity Mood philosophical introspective Type literary conceptual When to use this quote - painting - design - music composition Key Concepts philosophy of art material culture beauty standards Questions to Reflect On - Can art exist without aesthetic intent? - How does culture shape aesthetic values? A Different Perspective May ignore functional aspects of objects ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) ## Related quotes > [“Art, said Stephen, is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/art-said-stephen-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [It is the nature of the human disposition to hate him whom you have injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-the-nature-of-the-human-disposition-to-hate-him-whom-you-have/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [Oh, yes, I was a great retoucher. A retoucher is an esthetic surgeon !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/man-ray/oh-yes-i-was-a-great-retoucher-a-retoucher-is-an-esthetic-surgeon/) [Man Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/man-ray/) > [Music, feelings of happiness, mythology, faces worn by time, certain twilights and certain places, want to tell us something, or they told us something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/music-feelings-of-happiness-mythology-faces-worn-by-time-certain-2/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I don't think esthetic schools are important. What is important is the use that is made of them, or whatever the individual writer does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-don-t-think-esthetic-schools-are-important-what-is-important-is-the/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“The esthetic image in the dramatic form is life purified in and reprojected from the human imagination. The mystery of esthetic, like that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-esthetic-image-in-the-dramatic-form-is-life-purified-in-and/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthetic-standard/) [Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/) > [I think there is a period of esthetic discovery that happens to a man and he can do all sorts of things at white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/i-think-there-is-a-period-of-esthetic-discovery-that-happens-to-a-man/) [Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/) > [The case for democracy is not esthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-case-for-democracy-is-not-esthetic/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“If you want to be successful in your career, strive to be a well-versed professional with high esthetic standards and a passion for excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/if-you-want-to-be-successful-in-your-career-strive-to-be-a-well/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I think art is about human existence. Almost by default I'm expressing my experiences as a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gober/i-think-art-is-about-human-existence-almost-by-default-i-m-expressing/) [Robert Gober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gober/) > [Art arises in those strange complexities of action that are called human beings. It is a kind of human behavior. As such it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baker-brownell/art-arises-in-those-strange-complexities-of-action-that-are-called/) Baker Brownell > [Art is the human process that produces by the way (it is not its only or ultimate object) Secondary Belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-is-the-human-process-that-produces-by-the-way-it-is-not-its-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Art is a human activity consisting in this, that one man consciously, by means of certain external signs, hands on to others feelings he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/art-is-a-human-activity-consisting-in-this-that-one-man-consciously/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More by Milan Kundera > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Our lives may be separate, but they run in the same direction, like parallel lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/our-lives-may-be-separate-but-they-run-in-the-same-direction-like/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Explore all 952 Milan Kundera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## 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. 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": "Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Milan Kundera" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible-matter-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible-matter-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/milan-kundera-120_art_art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible_2849206.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.” — Milan Kundera", "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": "Milan Kundera", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Art is the human disposition of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible-matter-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible-matter-for/#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 } } ] } ```