--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah! What avails the classic bent And what…" description: "\"Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured word, Against the undoctored incident That actually occurred? And what is Art whereto we press T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg" --- # Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured… ![“Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured word, Against the undoctored incident That actually occurred? And what is Art whereto we press Through paint and prose and rhyme- When Nature in her nakedness Defeats us every time?” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg) > “Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured word, Against the undoctored incident That actually occurred? And what is Art whereto we press Through paint and prose and rhyme- When Nature in her nakedness Defeats us every time?” [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art struggles against nature’s raw truth, yet culture attempts to shape it. **In simple terms:** Art tries to control nature, but nature wins. Key Takeaway Embrace nature’s reality in creative work. Themes art nature culture Mood contemplative inquisitive Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - painting - music - philosophical debate Key Concepts aesthetic theory human limitation Questions to Reflect On - Can art ever truly capture nature? - What limits artistic expression? A Different Perspective Art cannot fully dominate nature’s inherent chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Nakedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nakedness/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) ## Related quotes > [The shell must be cracked apart if what is in it is to come out, for if you want the kernel you must break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/the-shell-must-be-cracked-apart-if-what-is-in-it-is-to-come-out-for-2/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [“The nakedness of the indignant world may be cloathed from the trimmings of the vain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/the-nakedness-of-the-indignant-world-may-be-cloathed-from-the/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [“Nakedness is nakedness. We all wanted comfort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-holden/nakedness-is-nakedness-we-all-wanted-comfort/) Kate Holden > [“Death which is the mother of the universe!—Now wear your nakedness forever, white flowers in your hair, your marriage sealed behind the sky—no revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/death-which-is-the-mother-of-the-universe-now-wear-your-nakedness/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [“One way of looking at speech is to say that it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/one-way-of-looking-at-speech-is-to-say-that-it-is-a-constant/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [“To be naked is to be oneself. To be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognized for oneself. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/to-be-naked-is-to-be-oneself-to-be-nude-is-to-be-seen-naked-by-others/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [Sweet, sane, still Nakedness in Nature! — ah if poor, sick, prurient humanity in cities might really know you once more! Is not nakedness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/sweet-sane-still-nakedness-in-nature-ah-if-poor-sick-prurient/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“Her nakedness was not vulnerability, but armour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/her-nakedness-was-not-vulnerability-but-armour/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Without thinking, I knelt in the grass, like someone meaning to pray. When I tried to stand again, I couldn't move, my legs were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-gl-ck/without-thinking-i-knelt-in-the-grass-like-someone-meaning-to-pray/) [Louise Glück](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-gl-ck/) > [The best dress for walking is nakedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-fletcher/the-best-dress-for-walking-is-nakedness/) [Colin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-fletcher/) > [“A blanket could be used to cover up my modesty. And used to cover up my nakedness. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-cover-up-my-modesty-and-used-to-cover-up/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“While he was cautiously preambling, I tried to form a picture of all he did each day to earn his calories, all his grimaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/while-he-was-cautiously-preambling-i-tried-to-form-a-picture-of-all/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“The only real danger is flinching, seeming to notice your own nakedness. If you don’t flinch, you’re merely nude, which is a classically recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thomson/the-only-real-danger-is-flinching-seeming-to-notice-your-own/) [David Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thomson/) > [The college graduate is presented with a sheepskin to cover his intellectual nakedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/the-college-graduate-is-presented-with-a-sheepskin-to-cover-his/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [“Your nakedness is the work of God the Creator. Let men admire it--and grow religious between your sheets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elspeth-marr/your-nakedness-is-the-work-of-god-the-creator-let-men-admire-it-and/) [Elspeth Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elspeth-marr/) ## More by Rudyard Kipling > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“I follow the Law—the Most Excellent Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/i-follow-the-law-the-most-excellent-law/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Believe the best of everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/believe-the-best-of-everybody/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Adam was a gardener, and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon the knees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-of-all-good/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Call a truce, then, to our labors - let us feast with friends and neighbors, and be merry as the custom of our caste;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/call-a-truce-then-to-our-labors-let-us-feast-with-friends-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [No one accuses the gunner of maudlin affection for anything except his beasts and his weapons. He serves as least three jealous gods-his horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/no-one-accuses-the-gunner-of-maudlin-affection-for-anything-except/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“One of these days, Strickland is going to write a little book on his experiences. That book will be worth buying; and even more,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/one-of-these-days-strickland-is-going-to-write-a-little-book-on-his/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Good work does not matter, because a man is judged by his worst output and another man takes all the credit of his best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/good-work-does-not-matter-because-a-man-is-judged-by-his-worst-output/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes, said Chuchundra, more sorrowfully than ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/those-who-kill-snakes-get-killed-by-snakes-said-chuchundra-more/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Like everything else in the world, it is one man's work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/like-everything-else-in-the-world-it-is-one-man-s-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Father Wolf looked on amazed. He had almost forgotten the days when he won Mother Wolf in fair fight from five other wolves, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/father-wolf-looked-on-amazed-he-had-almost-forgotten-the-days-when-he/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [If you want something and don't get it, there are only two reasons. You either really didn't want it, or you tried to bargain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/if-you-want-something-and-don-t-get-it-there-are-only-two-reasons-you/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) [Explore all 491 Rudyard Kipling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) ## 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": "Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured word, Against the undoctored incident That actually occurred? And what is Art whereto we press Through paint and prose and rhyme- When Nature in her nakedness Defeats us every time?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what-the-cultured-word-against/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what-the-cultured-word-against/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7e/rudyard-kipling-527_art_ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what_767422.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ah! What avails the classic bent And what the cultured word, Against the undoctored incident That actually…” — Rudyard Kipling", "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": "Rudyard Kipling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ah! What avails the classic bent...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what-the-cultured-word-against/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/ah-what-avails-the-classic-bent-and-what-the-cultured-word-against/#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 } } ] } ```