--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if I did read, say, [Maurice]…" description: "\"But if I did read, say, [Maurice] Merleau-Ponty, for instance, it always seemed to me that the parts that I understood in what he was talking about - a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/robert-barry-3413_art_but-if-i-did-read-say-maurice-merleau-po_2511305.jpg" --- # But if I did read, say, \[Maurice\] Merleau-Ponty, for… ![“But if I did read, say, [Maurice] Merleau-Ponty, for instance, it always seemed to me that the parts that I understood in what he was talking about - and I read him because - well, he wrote a book, well, the Phenomenology of Perception [New York: Humanities Press, 1962]. And it seemed to me that…” quote by Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/robert-barry-3413_art_but-if-i-did-read-say-maurice-merleau-po_2511305.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/robert-barry-3413_art_but-if-i-did-read-say-maurice-merleau-po_2511305.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/955/robert-barry-3413_art_but-if-i-did-read-say-maurice-merleau-po_2511305.jpg) > “But if I did read, say, \[Maurice\] Merleau-Ponty, for instance, it always seemed to me that the parts that I understood in what he was talking about - and I read him because - well, he wrote a book, well, the Phenomenology of Perception \[New York: Humanities Press, 1962\]. And it seemed to me that perception had a lot do with how we take in art.” [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author reflects that understanding Merleau‑Ponty's ideas links perception to how we absorb art, suggesting perception shapes artistic experience. **In simple terms:** Perception influences how we experience art. Key Takeaway Consider how your senses shape artistic appreciation. Themes perception art understanding philosophy Mood contemplative introspective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - studying philosophy - visiting galleries - creating art - teaching art appreciation Key Concepts Phenomenology embodied cognition aesthetic experience Questions to Reflect On - How does your perception affect your reaction to a painting? - Can you identify a moment when perception altered your artistic view? A Different Perspective The connection may be abstract and hard to apply practically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Phenomenology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenology/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [Contrary to what phenomenology- which is always phenomenology of perception- has tried to make us believe, contrary to what our desire cannot fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-derrida/contrary-to-what-phenomenology-which-is-always-phenomenology-of/) [Jacques Derrida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-derrida/) > [The difference between "machines" and "engines" is obviously this, that machines need more workmen and greater power to make them take effect, as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/the-difference-between-machines-and-engines-is-obviously-this-that/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [There's a phenomenology of being sick, one that depends on temperament, personal history, and the culture which we live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/there-s-a-phenomenology-of-being-sick-one-that-depends-on-temperament/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [“I believe that even our most abstract and philosophical views spring from an intensely personal base.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-r-rogers/i-believe-that-even-our-most-abstract-and-philosophical-views-spring/) [Carl R. 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I don't do it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-am-always-producing-work-but-there-is-always-a-sort-of-deadline/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [If you want to know about what's good in art, you should talk to an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/if-you-want-to-know-about-what-s-good-in-art-you-should-talk-to-an/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Developing your own style became something very interesting, very important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/developing-your-own-style-became-something-very-interesting-very/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I'm getting more and more into Chinese art and Japanese, some of those scroll paintings are amazing. You follow the change of the seasons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-m-getting-more-and-more-into-chinese-art-and-japanese-some-of-those/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [How does any idea come to your mind? I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/how-does-any-idea-come-to-your-mind-i-don-t-know/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [Heidegger wrote a book called Was Ist Das Ding - What Is a Thing? which was kind of interesting and influential to me, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/heidegger-wrote-a-book-called-was-ist-das-ding-what-is-a-thing-which/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I had always taken photos - always, always taken photos, made movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-had-always-taken-photos-always-always-taken-photos-made-movies/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) [Explore all 131 Robert Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) ## 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. 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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. 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