--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Earth's last picture is painted and…" description: "\"When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died, We shal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png" --- # When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are… ![“When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died, We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it lie down for an aeon or two, Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew!” quote by Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png) > “When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died, We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it lie down for an aeon or two, Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew!” [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. The poem envisions a distant future where humanity rests after creation, awaiting a new purpose from a higher master. **In simple terms:** Future rest before a new purpose. Key Takeaway Embrace patience for future renewal. Themes future rest purpose Mood hopeful contemplative Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - long-term planning - spiritual contemplation - artistic creation - environmental stewardship Key Concepts existentialism mythic narrative Questions to Reflect On - What does “rest” mean in your life? - How do you prepare for an unknown future? A Different Perspective The vague timeline may cause complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) ## Related quotes > [Till the master of all good workmen shall set us to work anew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/till-the-master-of-all-good-workmen-shall-set-us-to-work-anew/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“When Earth's last picture is painted And the tubes are twisted and dried When the oldest colors have faded And the youngest critic has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and-the-tubes-are-twisted-and/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [God has promised that He will provide rest to those who have faith in Him so hold on to our faith and to His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/god-has-promised-that-he-will-provide-rest-to-those-who-have-faith-in/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [The Word of God will bring you into a wonderful place of rest in faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/the-word-of-god-will-bring-you-into-a-wonderful-place-of-rest-in-faith/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [“If I am to have faith when I pray, I must find some promise in the Word of God to rest my faith on”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-torrey-3/if-i-am-to-have-faith-when-i-pray-i-must-find-some-promise-in-the/) R.A Torrey > [“Everything I tell you is a lie. Every question I ask is a trick. You will find no truth in me. Though you believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/everything-i-tell-you-is-a-lie-every-question-i-ask-is-a-trick-you/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [“Our hearts have been made for you, O God, and they shall never rest until they rest in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-augustine/our-hearts-have-been-made-for-you-o-god-and-they-shall-never-rest/) [St. Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-augustine/) > [Truly, hope is the saint's covering, wherein he wraps himself, when he lays his body down to sleep in the grave: "My flesh," saith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/truly-hope-is-the-saint-s-covering-wherein-he-wraps-himself-when-he/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [We shall not rest until we have rooted out Christianity .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-himmler/we-shall-not-rest-until-we-have-rooted-out-christianity/) [Heinrich Himmler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-himmler/) > [“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/come-unto-me-all-ye-that-labor-and-are-heavy-laden-and-i-will-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will march on in the path of nature till my legs sink under me, and then I shall be at rest, and expire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/i-will-march-on-in-the-path-of-nature-till-my-legs-sink-under-me-and/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyndale/unto-me-all-ye-that-labour-and-are-heavy-laden-and-i-will-give-you/) [Tyndale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyndale/) > [“There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/there-is-no-real-going-back-though-i-may-come-to-the-shire-it-will/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Lament No permanence is ours; we are a wave That flows to fit whatever form it finds: Through day or night, cathedral or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/lament-no-permanence-is-ours-we-are-a-wave-that-flows-to-fit-whatever/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The time will come when every change shall cease, This quick revolving wheel shall rest in peace: No summer then shall glow, not winter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petrarch/the-time-will-come-when-every-change-shall-cease-this-quick-revolving/) [Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petrarch/) ## 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 Colour quotes > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [I sometimes wish taste wasn't ever an issue, and the sounds of instruments or synths could be judged solely on their colour and timbre.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-greenwood/i-sometimes-wish-taste-wasn-t-ever-an-issue-and-the-sounds-of/) [Jonny Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-greenwood/) > [Half of the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative act is sharing it with others and the feeling of connection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/half-of-the-pleasure-of-painting-and-feeling-the-joy-of-the-creative/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [I am a great lover of art, in many forms: paintings, objets, textiles. I don't have the talent for painting, but I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/i-am-a-great-lover-of-art-in-many-forms-paintings-objets-textiles-i/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-schaeffer/it-is-not-necessary-to-have-an-extravagant-food-budget-in-order-to/) [Edith Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-schaeffer/) > [People frequently ask me why I devote so much time to seeking out facts about man’s past…the past shows clearly that we all have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leakey/people-frequently-ask-me-why-i-devote-so-much-time-to-seeking-out/) [Louis Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leakey/) > [Walk out like someone suddenly born into colour. Do it now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/walk-out-like-someone-suddenly-born-into-colour-do-it-now/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [As soon as I turned the key I saw it hanging, the color of fire and sunset. the colour of flamboyant flowers. ‘If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/as-soon-as-i-turned-the-key-i-saw-it-hanging-the-color-of-fire-and/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [All color is no color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/all-color-is-no-color/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [To me, grey is the welcome and only possible equivalent for indifference, noncommitment, absence of opinion, absence of shape. But grey, like formlessness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/to-me-grey-is-the-welcome-and-only-possible-equivalent-for/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [William," the professor said, softly, "what now is your weapon?"…"Truth," he whispered, his voice rasping. He cleared his throat. "Truth is my sword." …"And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-davis/william-the-professor-said-softly-what-now-is-your-weapon-truth-he/) [Bryan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-davis/) > [Sound trumpets! Let our bloody colours wave! And either victory, or else a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/sound-trumpets-let-our-bloody-colours-wave-and-either-victory-or-else/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We get used to a certain kind of colour of form or format, and it's acceptable. And to puncture that is sticking your neck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-krasner/we-get-used-to-a-certain-kind-of-colour-of-form-or-format-and-it-s/) [Lee Krasner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-krasner/) [Browse all 1,279 Colour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died, We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it lie down for an aeon or two, Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rudyard Kipling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and-the-tubes-are-twisted-and-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Colour" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and-the-tubes-are-twisted-and-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a3/rudyard-kipling-527_colour_when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and_1414898.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have…” — 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": "When Earth's last picture is painted...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and-the-tubes-are-twisted-and-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/when-earth-s-last-picture-is-painted-and-the-tubes-are-twisted-and-2/#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 } } ] } ```