Art Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Each work of art excludes the world, concentrates attention on itself. For the time it is the only thing worth doing -to do just that; be it a sonnet, a statue, a landscape, an outline head of Caesar, or an oration. Presently we return to the sight of another that globes itself into a whole as did the first, for example, a beautiful garden; and nothing seems worth doing in life but laying out a garden.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Painter" from Essays: First Series, 1841
Art isolates the creator, demanding total focus; the highest purpose is to create something beautiful like a garden, which embodies life's meaning.
In simple terms: Art demands focus; creating beauty, like a garden, gives purpose.
Key Takeaway
Create and cherish beauty in life.
Themes
art
focus
beauty
purpose
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
creative
When to use this quote
- painting
- sculpture
- gardening
- writing
- design
Key Concepts
Aesthetic philosophy
creative immersion
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “laying out a garden” symbolize for you?
- How can you balance artistic focus with everyday duties?
A Different Perspective
May ignore practical responsibilities while pursuing art.
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