--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is…" description: "\"As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but very difficult, so I doubt that I shall find easily amongst my pupils one capable of carrying it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png" --- # As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but… ![“As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but very difficult, so I doubt that I shall find easily amongst my pupils one capable of carrying it out satisfactorily even after my own drawing. In any case, it will be necessary for me to touch it up carefully with my own hand.” quote by Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png) > “As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but very difficult, so I doubt that I shall find easily amongst my pupils one capable of carrying it out satisfactorily even after my own drawing. In any case, it will be necessary for me to touch it up carefully with my own hand.” [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist acknowledges the difficulty of a complex subject and anticipates needing personal refinement to achieve satisfactory results. **In simple terms:** Complex work may need personal touch to succeed. Key Takeaway Accept personal involvement when needed. Themes art challenge perfectionism Mood determined reflective Type instructional personal When to use this quote - painting commissions - teaching students - personal projects Key Concepts technique self‑editing mastery Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to intervene personally? - What standards guide your final touches? A Different Perspective Even with skill, some tasks exceed a pupil’s ability without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes, you just say I'm fine because it's difficult to find someone who actually listens and cares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sometimes-you-just-say-i-m-fine-because-it-s-difficult-to-find/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Not winning and those types of things are difficult. There is no doubt. You can't say they are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-budenholzer/not-winning-and-those-types-of-things-are-difficult-there-is-no-doubt/) [Mike Budenholzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-budenholzer/) > [Most educated Indians are bilingual. Amongst the urban elite though, there is a disdain for regional languages. That's unfortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/most-educated-indians-are-bilingual-amongst-the-urban-elite-though/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [We made the joke when we screened 'Bucket List' that there was 100% desire to see amongst our demographic with a 40% ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/we-made-the-joke-when-we-screened-bucket-list-that-there-was-100/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [Inherently participatory in nature, Community Video focusing on using video to enable communities to communicate amongst themselves as well as with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-edwards/inherently-participatory-in-nature-community-video-focusing-on-using/) [Ben Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-edwards/) > [I moved to Hollywood when I was 22. I was married. I had a kid right away. And I had worked as a furniture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-moved-to-hollywood-when-i-was-22-i-was-married-i-had-a-kid-right/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [Consciousness, rather than being an epiphenomenon of matter, is actually the source of matter. It differentiates into space time, energy, information, and matter. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/consciousness-rather-than-being-an-epiphenomenon-of-matter-is/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I was a defensive lineman coming out of high school who was considered amongst the top... maybe the top six guys, top five guys,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndamukong-suh/i-was-a-defensive-lineman-coming-out-of-high-school-who-was/) [Ndamukong Suh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ndamukong-suh/) > [When I was younger, I did a TV show in the U.K. for a couple years, and I learned a lot from that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-madden/when-i-was-younger-i-did-a-tv-show-in-the-u-k-for-a-couple-years-and/) [Richard Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-madden/) > [But we can turn challenges into opportunities if we look outwards to the realities of the global economy and modernise our internal institutions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hutton/but-we-can-turn-challenges-into-opportunities-if-we-look-outwards-to/) [John Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hutton/) > [They are always telling us that Carolina Blue is not a color, that it is really Columbia blue or sky blue. But there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-fair/they-are-always-telling-us-that-carolina-blue-is-not-a-color-that-it/) [Lorrie Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-fair/) > [Every single means of communication amongst the public, the government has antennae into, to find out who is liable to be sympathetic and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd/every-single-means-of-communication-amongst-the-public-the-government/) [David Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd/) > [Amongst high unemployment rates, a competitive job market and a shrinking global economy, the emerging social media industry only continues to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/amongst-high-unemployment-rates-a-competitive-job-market-and-a/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [Science fiction rarely is about scientists doing real science, in its slowness, its vagueness, the sort of tedious quality of getting out there and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-stanley-robinson/science-fiction-rarely-is-about-scientists-doing-real-science-in-its/) [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-stanley-robinson/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) ## More by Peter Paul Rubens > [White is poison to a picture: use it only in highlights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/white-is-poison-to-a-picture-use-it-only-in-highlights/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [My talent is such that no undertaking, however vast in size... has ever surpassed my courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/my-talent-is-such-that-no-undertaking-however-vast-in-size-has-ever/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [Painting a young maiden is similar to cavorting with great abandon. It is the finest refreshment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/painting-a-young-maiden-is-similar-to-cavorting-with-great-abandon-it/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [I paint a woman's big rounded buttocks so that I want to reach out and stroke the dimpled flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/i-paint-a-woman-s-big-rounded-buttocks-so-that-i-want-to-reach-out/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [I'm just a simple man standing alone with my old brushes, asking God for inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/i-m-just-a-simple-man-standing-alone-with-my-old-brushes-asking-god/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [Every child has the spirit of creation. The rubbish of life often exterminates the spirit through plague and a souls own wretchedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/every-child-has-the-spirit-of-creation-the-rubbish-of-life-often/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) > [My passion comes from the heavens, not from earthly musings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/my-passion-comes-from-the-heavens-not-from-earthly-musings/) [Peter Paul Rubens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) [Explore all 8 Peter Paul Rubens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/) ## More After quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/) [Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) Deke Richards > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-have-a-lot-of-success-and-make-a-good-living-but-after-while-you/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [See to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/see-to-do-good-and-you-will-find-that-happiness-will-run-after-you/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Sometimes after a compliment about my characterization skills, I'm asked if I model my characters on real people. Emphatically, no. And sort of, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/sometimes-after-a-compliment-about-my-characterization-skills-i-m/) [Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/) > [After The Wizard Of Oz I was typecast as a lion, and there aren't all that many parts for lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-lahr/after-the-wizard-of-oz-i-was-typecast-as-a-lion-and-there-aren-t-all/) Bert Lahr > [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [I'd like an omelet named after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-d-like-an-omelet-named-after-me/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) Browse all 3,411 After quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but very difficult, so I doubt that I shall find easily amongst my pupils one capable of carrying it out satisfactorily even after my own drawing. In any case, it will be necessary for me to touch it up carefully with my own hand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Paul Rubens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very-fine-but-very-difficult-so-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "After" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very-fine-but-very-difficult-so-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/peter-paul-rubens-48682_after_as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very_1863699.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As to the 'St. Michael,' the subject is very fine, but very difficult, so I doubt that I shall find easily…” — Peter Paul Rubens", "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": "Peter Paul Rubens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-paul-rubens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As to the 'St. Michael,' the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very-fine-but-very-difficult-so-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-paul-rubens/as-to-the-st-michael-the-subject-is-very-fine-but-very-difficult-so-i/#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 } } ] } ```