--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have heard it very often said that an…" description: "\"I have heard it very often said that an artist does not need intelligence, that his is the province of the soul\" — Robert Henri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png" --- # I have heard it very often said that an artist does not… ![“I have heard it very often said that an artist does not need intelligence, that his is the province of the soul” quote by Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png) > “I have heard it very often said that an artist does not need intelligence, that his is the province of the soul” [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art relies on soulful expression rather than intellectual analysis; feeling drives creation. **In simple terms:** Soul drives art more than intellect. Key Takeaway Cultivate feeling in artistic work. Themes art creativity soul expression intuition Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - painting sessions - creative retreats - art therapy Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy emotional intelligence creative process Questions to Reflect On - How does feeling shape your art? - Can intellect and soul coexist in creation? A Different Perspective Intellectual critique can still be valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [The province of the soul is large enough to fill up every cranny of your time, and leave you much to answer for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/the-province-of-the-soul-is-large-enough-to-fill-up-every-cranny-of/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The particular province of the shaman is the province of soul, that which feeds our embodied life, or fails to feed it. From a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-moss/the-particular-province-of-the-shaman-is-the-province-of-soul-that/) [Robert Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-moss/) > [Artists are people who are subject to irrational convictions of the sacred. Baudelaire said that an artist is a child who has acquired adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schjeldahl/artists-are-people-who-are-subject-to-irrational-convictions-of-the/) [Peter Schjeldahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schjeldahl/) > [Paul Robeson once said that the artist has the responsibility to either help liberate the community or further oppress it. And I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/paul-robeson-once-said-that-the-artist-has-the-responsibility-to/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [The Greeks said the artist doesn't actually have to travel and look around. You stay where God has put you, and you dig as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-carlo-menotti/the-greeks-said-the-artist-doesn-t-actually-have-to-travel-and-look/) [Gian Carlo Menotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-carlo-menotti/) > [Yeah," I said, "but you're an artist. You don't believe in decency and honesty and gratitude. Where shall we eat?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/yeah-i-said-but-you-re-an-artist-you-don-t-believe-in-decency-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“You have on your history," said the artist, "and we're not used to that, believe me. Not to history. Not to old she-wolves with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/you-have-on-your-history-said-the-artist-and-we-re-not-used-to-that/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [In Afghanistan I was doing street art because it was more open, but when I had a show, only men would come. I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malina-suliman/in-afghanistan-i-was-doing-street-art-because-it-was-more-open-but/) [Malina Suliman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malina-suliman/) > [All one wants to do is make a small, finished, polished, burnished, beautiful object . . . I mean, that's all one wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-banville/all-one-wants-to-do-is-make-a-small-finished-polished-burnished/) [John Banville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-banville/) > [Art is a kind of mining," he said. "The artist a variety of prospector searching for the sparkling silver of meaning in the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-urquhart/art-is-a-kind-of-mining-he-said-the-artist-a-variety-of-prospector/) [Jane Urquhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-urquhart/) > [“Hard work eventually solves all problems, but to solve problems quickly you need intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/hard-work-eventually-solves-all-problems-but-to-solve-problems/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [To protect any community, we need intelligence and to nourish it we need humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/to-protect-any-community-we-need-intelligence-and-to-nourish-it-we/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“My father said being an artist is the shortest road to the poor house , claiming "real" work is something you don't like. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-chatham/my-father-said-being-an-artist-is-the-shortest-road-to-the-poor-house/) [Russell Chatham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-chatham/) > [“Three erotic paintings by Isa - $ 20K; chasing said artist in Benz SLS Coupe - $ 195K; the look on her face right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-dominguez/three-erotic-paintings-by-isa-20k-chasing-said-artist-in-benz-sls/) [Ella Dominguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-dominguez/) > [As I have always said, an artist's existence and identity are only because of the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rubina-dilaik/as-i-have-always-said-an-artist-s-existence-and-identity-are-only/) [Rubina Dilaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rubina-dilaik/) ## More by Robert Henri > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Your only hope of satisfying others is in satisfying yourself. I speak of a great satisfaction, not a commercial satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/your-only-hope-of-satisfying-others-is-in-satisfying-yourself-i-speak/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Keep a bad drawing until by study you have found out why it is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/keep-a-bad-drawing-until-by-study-you-have-found-out-why-it-is-bad/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Self-education only produces expressions of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/self-education-only-produces-expressions-of-self/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Genius is not a possession of the limited few, but exists in some degree in everyone. Where there is natural growth, a full and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/genius-is-not-a-possession-of-the-limited-few-but-exists-in-some/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Your painting is the marking of your progression into nature, a sensation of something you see way beyond the two pretty colors over there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/your-painting-is-the-marking-of-your-progression-into-nature-a/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [The sketch hunter moves through life as he finds it, not passing negligently the things he loves, but stopping to know them, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/the-sketch-hunter-moves-through-life-as-he-finds-it-not-passing/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [There are pictures that manifest education and there are pictures that manifest love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/there-are-pictures-that-manifest-education-and-there-are-pictures/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [I am interested in the size of your intention. It is better to overstate the important than to understate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/i-am-interested-in-the-size-of-your-intention-it-is-better-to/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“We will be happy if we can get around to the idea that art is not an outside and extra thing; that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/we-will-be-happy-if-we-can-get-around-to-the-idea-that-art-is-not-an/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“It beats all the things that wealth can give and everything else in the world to say the things one believes, to put them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-beats-all-the-things-that-wealth-can-give-and-everything-else-in/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“A GREAT PAINTER will know a great deal about how he did it, but still he will say, “How did I do it?” The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/a-great-painter-will-know-a-great-deal-about-how-he-did-it-but-still/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“Concentrate on a single feature – as, build all toward one eye – make all lines lead toward that eye. (Robert Henri)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/concentrate-on-a-single-feature-as-build-all-toward-one-eye-make-all/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Good composition is like a suspension bridge - each line adds strength and takes none away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/good-composition-is-like-a-suspension-bridge-each-line-adds-strength/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Cherish your own emotions and never undervalue them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/cherish-your-own-emotions-and-never-undervalue-them/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) [Explore all 207 Robert Henri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) ## 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": "I have heard it very often said that an artist does not need intelligence, that his is the province of the soul", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Henri" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an-artist-does-not-need/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an-artist-does-not-need/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/robert-henri-1803_art_i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an_2487173.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have heard it very often said that an artist does not need intelligence, that his is the province of the…” — Robert Henri", "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": "Robert Henri", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have heard it very often...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an-artist-does-not-need/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/i-have-heard-it-very-often-said-that-an-artist-does-not-need/#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 } } ] } ```