--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All art is at once surface and symbol…" description: "\"All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/oscar-wilde-16_accord_all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-th_110367.jpg" --- # All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go… ![“All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/oscar-wilde-16_accord_all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-th_110367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/oscar-wilde-16_accord_all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-th_110367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ea/oscar-wilde-16_accord_all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-th_110367.jpg) > “All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When critics disagree, the artist is in accord with himself.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art simultaneously presents a surface appearance and deeper symbols; probing beneath carries risk, yet diverse interpretations signal a work’s vitality and the artist’s self‑alignment. **In simple terms:** Art’s depth invites risk; varied views show its importance. Key Takeaway Interpretation risk reflects artistic complexity. Themes art theory symbolism interpretation critical discourse Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - gallery tours - literary analysis classes - online art forums Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy subjectivity of meaning Practical Applications - encourage multiple readings - use art as a catalyst for dialogue Questions to Reflect On - When does analysis become projection? - How does disagreement enrich or dilute artistic value? A Different Perspective Risk of over‑interpretation may obscure the artist’s intended message. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accord/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-is/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beneath the surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-the-surface/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Critics Disagree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics-disagree-1284507/) [Disagree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagree/) [Disagree Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagree-artist-1116736/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Mirrors Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors-diversity-1312003/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Peril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peril/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Spectators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectators/) [Surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surface/) [Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols/) [Work Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-art/) [Works of art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-of-art/) ## Related quotes > [When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/when-critics-disagree-the-artist-is-in-accord-with-himself/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-those-who-go-beneath-the-3/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital. When critics disagree the artist is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/diversity-of-opinion-about-a-work-of-art-shows-that-the-work-is-new-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim. The critic is he who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-artist-is-the-creator-of-beautiful-things-to-reveal-art-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Sometimes critics disagree with the audience, and that's fine. I make movies for the audience. I guess I hope that the critics like it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/sometimes-critics-disagree-with-the-audience-and-that-s-fine-i-make/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [Of the modern critics, although I disagree with almost everything she says, I admire Mary McCarthy's eloquence and social observation in 'Sights and Spectacles';…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lahr/of-the-modern-critics-although-i-disagree-with-almost-everything-she/) [John Lahr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lahr/) > [“The historian, predisposed to verbal evidence, who reads about rather than looks at objects, becomes dependent upon secondhand impressions and is helpless when critics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-handlin/the-historian-predisposed-to-verbal-evidence-who-reads-about-rather/) [Oscar Handlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-handlin/) > [Have you ever noticed how most critics disagree with the public? That should tell you a lot about critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/have-you-ever-noticed-how-most-critics-disagree-with-the-public-that/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [“Those who go beneath the surface, do so at their peril.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-go-beneath-the-surface-do-so-at-their-peril/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue are the artist’s materials for an art. From the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/thought-and-language-are-to-the-artist-instruments-of-an-art-vice-and-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [All art is at once surface and symbol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-those-who-go-beneath-the-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/diversity-of-opinion-about-a-work-of-art-shows-that-the-work-is-new/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [No work of art ever puts forward views. Views belong to people who are not artists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/no-work-of-art-ever-puts-forward-views-views-belong-to-people-who-are/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-should-either-be-a-work-of-art-or-wear-a-work-of-art/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Accord quotes > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Christian obligation cannot be made to accord with a law of expediency. The Christian's maxims are, Do right because you are bound to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-landey-patton/christian-obligation-cannot-be-made-to-accord-with-a-law-of/) [Francis Landey Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-landey-patton/) > [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [It is a very high mind to which gratitude is not a painful sensation. If you wish to please, you will find it wiser…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/it-is-a-very-high-mind-to-which-gratitude-is-not-a-painful-sensation/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [To act choicelessly is to act in accord with the situation. If someone throws a rock, you duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rami-m-shapiro/to-act-choicelessly-is-to-act-in-accord-with-the-situation-if-someone/) [Rami M. Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rami-m-shapiro/) > [“I'm not here to grant you the extraordinary love you never had for yourself. I'm here, on my own accord, to love you. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/i-m-not-here-to-grant-you-the-extraordinary-love-you-never-had-for/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [It is a misfortune that necessity has induced men to accord greater license to this formidable engine, in order to obtain liberty, than can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/it-is-a-misfortune-that-necessity-has-induced-men-to-accord-greater/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [Life is a cutup. And to pretend that you write or paint in a timeless vacuum is just simply . . . not .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/life-is-a-cutup-and-to-pretend-that-you-write-or-paint-in-a-timeless/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The dominant propaganda systems have appropriated the term "globalization" to refer to the specific version of international economic integration that they favor, which privileges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-dominant-propaganda-systems-have-appropriated-the-term/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you want to accord with the Tao, just do your job, then let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-you-want-to-accord-with-the-tao-just-do-your-job-then-let-go/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords / If when the soul unto the lines accords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/the-fineness-which-a-hymn-or-psalm-affords-if-when-the-soul-unto-the/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-covenant-is-an-agreement-between-god-and-man-an-accord-whose-terms/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/all-day-i-think-about-it-then-at-night-i-say-it-where-did-i-come-from/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [In recent years personal injury attorneys and trial lawyers have attacked the food industry with numerous lawsuits alleging that these businesses should pay monetary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ney/in-recent-years-personal-injury-attorneys-and-trial-lawyers-have/) [Bob Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ney/) [Browse all 406 Accord quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accord/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. 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