Art Quote by Robin G. Collingwood
“The artist must prophesy not in the sense that he foretells things to come, but in the sense that he tells his audience, at the risk of their displeasure, the secrets of their own hearts”
About This Quote
Source Book: "The Idea of History", 1936
Artists reveal hidden truths, risking audience displeasure, rather than predicting the future.
In simple terms: Artists expose inner truths, not future events.
Key Takeaway
Tell honest, challenging truths.
Themes
art
truth
risk
Mood
reflective
philosophical
Type
artistic
ethical
When to use this quote
- painting
- writing
- performance
- public speaking
Key Concepts
aesthetic philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance truth and reception?
- What risks are worth taking in art?
A Different Perspective
Audience may reject uncomfortable insights.
![“Nector [speaking to Bernadette] could have told her, having drunk down the words of Nanapush, that comfort is not security and money in the hand disappears. He could have told her that only the land matters and never to let go of the papers, the titles, the tracks of the words, all those things…” quote by Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f08/louise-erdrich-1271_land_nector-speaking-to-bernadette-could-have_644547.jpg)
![“As the Tawrat [Torah], the Zabur [The Psalms of David], the Injil [Gospel] and the Quran are divine books, the Veda [written in about 1200 B.C.] also has divine elements in it. For example, just like the Bible [in the book of Isaiah, chapter 29, verse 12], there is prophesy in the Veda [in…” quote by Md. Ziaul Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/405/md-ziaul-haque-14668_bible_as-the-tawrat-torah-the-zabur-the-psalms_390765.jpg)
