--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The big painter is one who has something…" description: "\"The big painter is one who has something to say. He thus does not paint men, landscape or furniture, but an idea.\" — Robert Henri" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/robert-henri-1803_artist_the-big-painter-is-one-who-has-something_1472788.png" --- # The big painter is one who has something to say. He thus… ![“The big painter is one who has something to say. He thus does not paint men, landscape or furniture, but an idea.” quote by Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/robert-henri-1803_artist_the-big-painter-is-one-who-has-something_1472788.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/robert-henri-1803_artist_the-big-painter-is-one-who-has-something_1472788.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/robert-henri-1803_artist_the-big-painter-is-one-who-has-something_1472788.png) > “The big painter is one who has something to say. He thus does not paint men, landscape or furniture, but an idea.” [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. A painter who conveys ideas rather than literal subjects creates deeper meaning. **In simple terms:** Paint ideas, not objects. Key Takeaway Focus on concept over representation. Themes art creativity ideas Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - art education - public murals Key Concepts Expressionism conceptual art Questions to Reflect On - What idea do you want your work to communicate? - How does concept-driven art affect viewers? A Different Perspective May be misunderstood without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Big Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-painter-5348884/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-paint-2688779/) [Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-men-707497/) [Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter/) [Painter Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painter-say-2444508/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) ## Related quotes > [The great painter has something to say. He does not paint men, landscapes, or furniture; but an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/the-great-painter-has-something-to-say-he-does-not-paint-men/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [“A lot of people call you a feminist painter." "What indeed," I say. "I hate party lines, I hate ghettos. Anyway. I'm too old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/a-lot-of-people-call-you-a-feminist-painter-what-indeed-i-say-i-hate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I want to paint men and women with that something of the external which the halo used to symbolize, and which we now seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-want-to-paint-men-and-women-with-that-something-of-the-external/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [God sends experience to paint men's portraits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/god-sends-experience-to-paint-men-s-portraits/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Sometimes I seem to be two people. One who does not paint and one who does. The one who does not paint assumes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pratt/sometimes-i-seem-to-be-two-people-one-who-does-not-paint-and-one-who/) [Mary Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pratt/) > [“Although 'to paint' means something like "to cause to be covered with paint," one does not 'paint a brush' when one dips it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/although-to-paint-means-something-like-to-cause-to-be-covered-with/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“What does the paint say?” she asked. “That this Comanche rides for war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/what-does-the-paint-say-she-asked-that-this-comanche-rides-for-war/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [The most vital things in the look of a landscape endure only for a moment. 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If you're a furniture retailer like we are, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-ve-read-about-all-the-sales-today-if-you-re-an-auto-dealer-you-re/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [“ Contemporary Residential decorating Ideas for home Get decorating and design tips ideas of trendy house of Residential Kitchen decor and decorating tutor blog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/contemporary-residential-decorating-ideas-for-home/contemporary-residential-decorating-ideas-for-home-get-decorating-and/) [Contemporary Residential decorating Ideas for home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/contemporary-residential-decorating-ideas-for-home/) > [I'm always moving furniture and things around in my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-johnson/i-m-always-moving-furniture-and-things-around-in-my-house/) [Belinda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-johnson/) > [My father was a very good craftsman. He made furniture, he made silverware and he had an incredible gift in terms of how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/my-father-was-a-very-good-craftsman-he-made-furniture-he-made/) [Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/) > [I tried to like it. For me, it was like being smacked around the head by a piece of IKEA furniture: it hurts, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/i-tried-to-like-it-for-me-it-was-like-being-smacked-around-the-head/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [I designed every piece {of furniture} for a different reason and purpose, so I love each one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-brinson/i-designed-every-piece-of-furniture-for-a-different-reason-and/) [Savannah Brinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-brinson/) ## 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 Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [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 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/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. 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I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The big painter is one who has something to say. 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